Dearly Beloved?
by blueIedangel
Summary: Ginny is hired by the Malfoy family to marry Draco and help him to restore his family name but will their shared past make that task more difficult... or draw them closer together? Extensive summary inside!
1. The Decision

Synopsis: Abraxas Malfoy wants nothing more in this world than to get his grandson to settle down and start acting like a respectable Malfoy ought to, but that is much easier said than done. So in order to solve this problem he employs a respectable pureblood girl to pose as his wife for one year so that the Malfoy name can earn back so of the respect that it held before his son, Lucius, got mixed up with the wrong crowd on the wrong side of the magical war.

When Ginny Weasley is approached by Abraxas as the perfect candidate she grudgingly accepts the job. After she marries Draco and starts taking on the responsibilities of being a Malfoy Ginny begins to wonder if the money is worth the ordeal, especially as she and Draco spend more time together and begin to develop a strange bond that has deep connections to their past and might just enable them to build a future together.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 1: The Decision

Abraxas Malfoy rubbed a hand weathered by age over his tired face. It seemed as though his problems would never go away. He no longer knew what to do with his family anymore.

His son was a complete mess. Throwing his family name behind the losing side of the war that had raged on for years had really taken a toll on the family fortune and the once pristine Malfoy name. Malfoy was not always synonymous with evil and the extreme uses of the dark arts.

Since the very beginning of that horrid snake half-blood's rise to power, Lucius Malfoy had been completely infatuated with the clout and racial cleansing that the "lord" Voldemort had offered. Lucius was wooed by the crackpot's visions of a world without muggles and so he pledged his loyalty and the loyalty of the Malfoy name to his cause.

Once Lucius had done that Abraxas knew that he could no longer stay in England, there was too much of a risk. He was the richest man in England with an over eager son who was controlled by a madman. So, Abraxas did the only thing he could think of that could preserve his family's hard earned integrity and his life, he faked his own death.

It was simple enough just a middle spell that gave him the equivalent of the common cold but outwardly appeared to be a dreadful disease that had ravaged England many times over the last few centuries, Dragon Pox. He spent two weeks lying in bed looking absolutely dreadful before he had the common decency to 'die'. After that there was a fake funeral and he and his wife, Salvia, simply jetted off to the French Rivera until the whole moment could blow over.

What Abraxas and Salvia didn't realize was that the little rebellion would last thirty years. They didn't mind though, their Mediterranean home was absolute paradise, especially when considering the hell that was taking place in England.

Abraxas was never concerned about his finances though, even with his idiot of a son technically in charge. He had an ace in the hole, his daughter-in-law Narcissa Black Malfoy.

Cissa was the most competent young woman he had ever met. From their first meeting Abraxas knew that no matter what she wanted to do with her life, she would accomplish it flawlessly.

It was Abraxas who set Lucius and Narcissa up soon after their graduation from Hogwarts. The girl had barely finished her graduation ceremony before the marriage papers were drawn up and signed for the latest union between the Malfoy heir and the beautiful pureblood girl.

It quickly became clear after their wedding that it would be Narcissa, not Lucius, that would run the Malfoy estate and various holdings while her husband played dress up with the other idiots that bought into the snake's plot. Once her name was officially changed to Malfoy, Cissa immediately began learning the ins and outs of running the extensive properties and businesses that were tied into the Malfoy estate. So when the time came that Abraxas felt that he could no longer remain in England he had no doubts that he was leaving his holdings in the correct hands. Narcissa did a wonderful job over the last thirty years in not only managing the Malfoy estate but also keeping Lucius and his stick fingers at bay so that at least a portion of the Malfoy wealth intact.

The only task that was set before Narcissa that she did not accomplish flawlessly was that of raising her son. Draco Malfoy, the youngest in the great Malfoy family, had unfortunately idolized his father his entire life.

As a child he put in heart and soul into emulating Lucius and trying to do everything that he asked of him, no matter how cruel or insane. Draco never saw Lucius as the idiotic monster he truly was, despite Narcissa's best attempts to lead him down another path. Lucius was a god in Draco's eye even though he did so many things that should have scared the child for life.

The only good thing that Lucius had ever done for his son was refuse to allow him to get the dark mark. He endured massive criticism from his 'master' and fellow deatheaters but refused to budge on the point. The Malfoy heir would not be marred by the horrid tattoo. Abraxas always suspected it was because somewhere inside Lucius knew that his side was going to lose and the only ounce of fatherly affection that he had in his soul didn't want his son to be dragged down with the rest.

Yes, with Abraxas' return to England his son was no longer the most pressing crisis. He could deal with Lucius as he always had a commanding tone and threat of disinheritance. Lucius had had his taste of running the family and would never again be given any power of that kind if Abraxas had anything to say about the matter. No, his more pressing problem was the family's more immediate heir, Draco.

Being that he was unmarked, Draco was allowed the luxury of living a completely normal life after the war, or at least relatively normal. He was after all the richest and most eligible bachelor in the country and he knew it.

Draco had, in the three years since the war had ended and life had returned to normal, taken a fancy to the life of a playboy. He stayed out all night, every night drinking, smoking, and getting to know the female population of most of London. In the last year alone the little bastard had no less than 55 girlfriends, none lasting more than a week and sometimes more than one at the same time.

He was never at the manor and showed no interest in running the Malfoy estates or businesses. Draco Malfoy was only interested in partying and having copious amounts of sex. He refused to slow down despite the best efforts of his family to convince him.

All the sex, drugs and rock and roll had caused huge scandals for the Malfoy family. Several girls had come forward claiming Draco had gotten them pregnant, all were proved false but still… he had also been arrested by both muggle police and aurors and the bloody idiot had taken to racing brooms and had almost gotten himself killed, twice. The scandal that his behavior had caused was creating even more bad publicity for a family whose name had already been tainted by the indiscretions of a son and Abraxas was fed up.

Today as he sat in his study after waiting for his grandson to be retrieved from St. Mungo's yet again, Abraxas came up with a plan. Because of Draco's outrageous lifestyle, he decided that he had to take matters into his own hands; Abraxas was going to buy Draco a respectable wife and use her to control his grandson and restore the family name.

A/N: so here is chapter 1. I know it is really short but it is more like a prologue to get the plot rolling. What do you think? Should I continue it? Please review and let me know!!!!

3 Care


	2. Finding the Perfect Woman

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 2: Finding the Perfect Woman

* * *

Ginny Weasley lazily turned over in her bed to look at the tiny alarm clock that rested on her bedside table. Bloody Hell! It was 7 o'clock she had to be at work in fifteen minutes. She sprang out of bed and bolted down the hallway to the small bathroom that she and her flatmate shared. Of course Hallie was already in the loo.

"Hal! I need in there immediately. I have to be at work in 15 minutes!" she pleaded as she banged on the closed door.

There was an audible groan in response before the door swung open and Ginny rushed in. "Ginevra Molly Weasley I am buying you a real alarm clock! That god-damn thing is bipolar; it only works on the days it feels like. I am so tired of getting kicked out of my time in the bathroom because you have woken up late, again!" Hallie Weschester fumed.

Hallie was an American born witch who was generously paid by the Ministry of Magic to immigrate to England and be the head of a new unit of elite curse breakers who dealt with the most dangerous and highly volatile cursed objects and locations. Hallie was probably one of the best curse breakers that the world had ever seen and the Ministry only wanted the best.

Unfortunately for Ginny, the girl was not only talented but also drop-dead gorgeous. 5'10, she was a tall stick with the perfect subtle hourglass figure. Her hair was naturally golden blond and her eyes a beautiful sapphire blue. She was the type of girl whose looks made you long to hate her but her personality made it impossible. On top of being physically perfect, Hallie was the sweetest person in the entire world.

Next to Hallie Ginny always felt inadequate. The other girl towered over her 5'3 stature, the supermodel and the midget. And as for the rest of her appearance, well, Ginny never felt that it was anything special. She supposed she could have been pretty but too many other factors detracted from her features, namely her hair and her freckles. Ginny's hair was always a bright red crazy curly mess that had to be tamed by a plethora of spells to get it into semi order and her face was dotted with a plethora of freckles. And as for personality, Ginny just didn't possess the calm loving nature that Hallie did, she was more like a ticking time bomb to anyone who decided to cross her and she was fatally stubborn, so many friendships had been ended because of her inability to give up in an argument.

Ginny turned to give her best friend a cheesy smile complete with toothpaste. "I wuv you?"

"Yeah, you better."

Within five minutes Ginny's bathroom routine was complete, a new record. She dashed back to her room and grabbed the first pair of dress slacks she saw. They were black pinstriped. She threw on a wrinkled plain white blouse and grabbed her cloak as she ran out the door. "Bye Hal."

She dashed down the stairs and nearly took out a doorman in her haste to get to the apperation point in the lobby of her building.

Ginny apperated straight into her office on the third floor of St. Mungo's. St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was the primary wizarding hospital in all of Britain, it catered to witches and wizards who were ill with everything from the common cold to severe illnesses such as dragon pox.

Ginny collapsed into her chair just as the door to her office swung open.

"Ah, Healer Weasley, you are here on time this morning. I am very impressed." Said a stern looking woman with straight brown hair pulled back into a stiff bun at the back of her head and black rimmed glasses perched on the tip of her nose. She was dressed in very boring, perfectly pressed black robes that perfectly accentuated her stern manner and bland hairstyle. She had always reminded Ginny of her first impression of her former transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Minerva McGonagall.

At Mrs. Coe disapproving tone Ginny let out a snort of laughter. "Yes Mrs. Coe, I managed to drag myself here with two minutes to spare actually." She had to suppress more laughter at the appalled look her elderly uptight assistant was giving her.

Mrs. Coe didn't like Ginny. Since the first day of their forced company she made that fact inordinately clear. She didn't appreciate that Ginny was the best in her field only that she was young and therefore somehow inept but she had to deal with it, she had been assigned to Ginny and therefore both been forced to figure out a way to deal with the other.

"What is on my schedule for today?"

"So far several Beautifying Potions gone wrong, an ageing potion that hasn't worn off after thirty-six hours, a woman who gave her husband draught of the living dead but can't get the antidote right and a severe rash brought on by exploding fluid. What would you like first?"

Ginny sighed and shook her head, another day had begun. "Let's get the Beautifying Potions out of the way they shouldn't take too long."

"Alright I will send the first one to the examination room." Her assistant scribbled something on her notepad as she turned and left the office, shutting the door behind her.

Ginny took a deep calming breath before standing up from her chair and walking over to the full length mirror that was hung on the back of her door. She hissed at her appearance. Her bright red hair was everywhere, her slacks were slightly askew and her blouse was a wrinkled mess. Well that wouldn't do. Ginny was the youngest and most well known healer of the Potions and Plant Poisoning sector of St. Mungo's. She was constantly busy and constantly in demand, so she had to look good. Ginny quickly smoothed out her clothing with a flick of her wand and pulled her vibrant curls into a loose ponytail. She looked over her appearance once more in the mirror and then headed off to start her day.

* * *

"Blinky!" Abraxas called out. He was sitting in his study at his antique mahogany desk perusing the list of possible candidates for the next Malfoy bride.

He had had his secretary magically search it for single pureblood women between ages eighteen and twenty-two and put together files on their personal lives, family history and personality. She didn't have to be perfect, just able to hold her own for a year with Draco.

So far he had received files on six candidates who had fit that description, two of which he was immediately able to discard because of their families association with the dark arts and one who was basically engaged was also left out. The remaining three were all from good families and available as far as he could find. They were Draco's old friend Pansy Parkinson, Luna Lovegood, from an eccentric but well respected family, and Ginevra Weasley, the youngest child of Arthur and Molly Weasley.

The little house elf that he had summoned popped into the room. "Master Abraxas summoned Blinky sir?"

"Ah, yes, is my grandson in the manor?" he stared down the elf, trying to no avail to intimidate him. This elf was different from all the others that had ever known he was not afraid of any of his masters. Where others cowered, Blinky simply stared back unfazed but complacent. He fascinated Abraxas who was considering making him his personal elf.

"No sir. The Young Master Draco is not at home. He has not been back since he left yesterday afternoon."

Abraxas shook his head in dismay. He definitely had picked the perfect time to choose a bride for Draco, he was out of control.

He dismissed the elf and turned his attention back to the files. Abraxas knew from previous experience with the lovely Ms. Parkinson that linking her to Draco should be a last resort. Despite their friendship, they fought like cats and dogs the majority of the time they were in each other's presence. That would not help the image he was trying to portray. Plus he thought that maybe his grandson had mentioned her recently entering a covert but legitimate relationship, as opposed to the normal arm candy she played with for a week and disposed of almost as quickly as Draco did his partners.

Abraxas shook his head slightly in disgust. How could these young people go through so many partners? He had been happily married to the same woman for nearly seventy years and never once even considered having an affair. They got married at 19 because of a long arranged marriage by their parents but quickly fell in love. Salvia was the most important thing in his life. Just thinking about her brought a smile to his face. _Enough about that though._

Abraxas laid Pansy's file to the side and picked up the next one in the stack. He had not even finished reading it before put it into the definitely no pile. This eccentric girl would not last a week in this house and on top of that he would have to deal with the added problem of getting rid of her body and explaining her disappearance. Draco would kill her in five minutes, of that he was sure.

He was beginning to believe that Ms. Parkinson would have to be persuaded to be the new Mrs. Malfoy when he opened the final file, the one on Ginevra Weasley.

The first thing he noticed was the picture. It was a muggle one like all the other files had held but there was something different about this one. Despite the fact that the image was only a photograph she seemed so full of life and beauty that the photo could barely contain her. Abraxas was positive that the picture could hardly do her justice. When he was finally able to peal his eyes from the beautiful woman he began to read her file.

She was 5'3'' and tiny. She was beautiful with deep, warm brown eyes and the classic Weasley red hair but a deeper red color then her father and brothers' bright orange, closer to her mother's color.

She was a healer, a potions specialist, rather high up if all the letters after her name were any indication of her level.

Abraxas only glanced over the family history section. He already knew much about the Weasley family. Molly and Arthur had had seven children, all male except for Ginevra. The entire family had been heavily involved in the war effort. All were members in good standing in the Order of the Phoenix, an organization founded by Albus Dumbledore shortly after the outbreak of the first phase of the magical war and reformed when Voldemort reemerged in 1991.

He also knew that both Ginevra and her closest brother Ronald were intimately connected to Harry Potter and where at his side during The Final Battle of Hogwarts. The file also noted that after the war each Weasley was given at least one Order of Merlin while Ginevra, Ronald, Harry Potter and their other close friend Hermione Granger are now regarded as national heroes. It said that of the four this status bother Ginevra the most and so she strove to establish a name for herself separate from her exploits during the war. Obviously with her healer status she accomplished that.

Under the personality section the file described her as diplomatic, level headed under pressure and very easily likable. She would be perfect at all the charity balls and dinners with the rich and boring that were a weekly part of the Malfoy reality. The file also noted that she was annoyingly stubborn and had a fiery temper that once unleashed led many to fear her despite her tiny stature. Again perfect, this beauty would not give in to Draco's good looks and smooth manner, and maybe with any luck she might even unleash her famous temper on him and straighten the little arse out!

The description of her in the file made her sound too good to be true. Well, he supposed it was time to visit this Healer Weasley. With any luck she would be just as amazing in person as she sounded on paper.

* * *

Ginny glanced at her watch as she stopped outside one of her examination rooms. She sighed with exhaustion; it was nearly one o'clock in the afternoon and she had not stopped since she had arrived nearly six hours ago.

She picked up the chart and her eyes quickly darted across it taking in the condition of her next patient. A 25 year old man who had a nasty run in with a ******Venomous Tentacula.** She groaned, so much for lunch. She tucked the chart under her arm, plastered a much practiced calm smile on her face and opened the door.

What she saw puzzled her. Rather than a young man doubled over in pain as she expected she saw an elegantly dressed older man leaning casually against the examination table.

"Ah, healer Weasley," he said in a lovely baritone voice.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Ginny asked incredibly puzzled with the familiarity with which he addressed her.

He smiled at her, a warm crinkly eyed smile, much like the way Albus Dumbledore used to smile. "Oh, no my dear, I shouldn't think you would know me yet. But if everything goes according to plan you will know me very well very soon."

His words should have scared her, or at least made her uneasy. A complete stranger propositioning her like that, but they didn't. The old wizard seemed very kind and he intrigued her. "So I am assuming that you didn't fall onto a Venomous Tentacula." She tucked a curled strand that had escaped its confine behind her ear.

He let out a booming laugh. "No, I don't. Actually I just picked a injury to fake so I could monopolize for an hour or so. May I buy you lunch?"

Ginny hesitated, unsure of exactly what she was getting into, her brain fighting her stomach. Eventually her stomach won out. "Oh, well, are you sure?"

"Oh yes my dear I insist." He walked over and offered her his arm.

She accepted it feeling completely at ease with … "Might I ask who you are?"

He chuckled again, "My name, my dear, is Abraxas Malfoy."

* * *

Yay chapter 2!!!!!! So sorry it took so long I am just super stressed w/ school. Senior year is a bitch! I will update as soon as I can.

A million hugs and kisses to those of you who reviewed and added this based on only one tiny little sad chapter! U all are amazing. Please everyone keep reviewing!!!!!! Comments, constructive criticism, questions…..ANYTHING!!!!! Reviews make me feel loved 

Luv u all dearly!!!!!

Care

OH YEAH! If anyone would be interested in betaing I would LUV the help. I try but sometimes I just can't find the grammar mistakes. U know one of those my brain reads it the way it is SUPPOSED to be and can't register the mistake. Yeah so ….. Let me know if u are interested!!!!


	3. The Marriage Proposal

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter**

**Chapter 3: The Marriage Proposal**

Ginny was slightly floored. In a matter of minutes she had gone from a normal day at the office, seeing patients and running herself ragged to sitting in an elegant restaurant in Diagon Alley with a Malfoy. Not just any Malfoy though but Abraxas Malfoy, the sire of the family who was supposed to have been dead for over thirty years.

"So Mr. Malfoy," Ginny began no longer able to contain her curiosity.

"Ah, ah, Ms. Weasley, first we order then we can talk business." The older man said with finality in his voice that Ginny dared not question. "Have you ever been here my dear?" he inquired.

"No actually, I have never had the occasion to." Ginny replied as she began to scan the menu.

"Excellent. I love being able to watch someone have a new experience, especially with food." He said genuinely delighted. "Might I suggest something for you?"

"Oh by all means."

Once their food had been ordered, Abraxas took a sip of the exquisite red wine he had ordered for the two of them and then focused his complete attention on Ginny. "Well then, down to business. I have a proposal for you Ms. Weasley. There is a good chance that this will sound completely absurd to you but I assure you that all my actions are necessary."

Ginny knew that his remark should have made her nervous, but all she felt instead was intrigued at his cryptic clues. "You have my attention Mr. Malfoy"

"Alright, I would like to hire you to marry my grandson."

Well that had not been what she was expecting but she did not let her face betray any of her surprise other than a single eyebrow shooting up nearly to her hair line. "Come again?"

"Ms. Weasley, over the last thirty years the Malfoy name was unfortunately dragged through the dirt on my idiotic son's quest for power. He is the reason that I faked my own death and reason that Draco is the way he is."

Ginny disagreed with his last statement but choose not to contradict him.

"Thankfully Draco was never marked during the war, so my plan is to marry him to a beautiful well respected pureblood girl, that would be you," he said, inclining his head slightly in her direction. "It is my belief that if I can force Draco to appear to have changed his ways at least for some length of time then that would give Narcissa and I the time required to completely rebuild the Malfoy estate and try to restore our name. We can't completely do that now because no matter what we do politically or economically everything is overshadowed by Draco's outrageous behavior."

"I suppose I am flattered by your proposal Mr. Malfoy but I'm not sure that this will work. Your grandson hates me."

"Nonsense, he hates your family for reasons he doesn't even understand. You are the perfect person for the job. You're smart, beautiful and I believe that you could take on Draco and maybe even win. There are not many women that I have met that I have thought could do that."

Ginny still wasn't convinced. "Does Mal…Draco know about this?" his name sounded wrong rolling off her tongue after all these years.

"No, but he doesn't have much choice in the matter. He will do as I say or be disinherited." Abraxas said and a hardness filled his eyes that made Ginny sure he was a Malfoy. It quickly disappeared though and he transformed back into the sweet man she had been enjoying her lunch with. "So down to the details, you will be hired for one year and be paid 25.000 galleons per quarter for a total of 1.000.000 galleons for the entire duration of your marriage to my grandson. You will of course receive separate quarters and be required to attend all the necessary functions that come with being a Malfoy. The contract may be extended depending on how Narcissa and I feel the plan is working. If you terminate the contract early you will not receive the entire payment, but if we do you will for your inconvenience. How does that sound?"

"Let me just make sure I have all this straight. You are going to pay me 1.000.000 galleons to marry your grandson for a year?" Ginny was floored.

"Yes."

Ginny chewed on her lip as she considered the proposition. On one hand this was the most insane thing she had ever heard, but on the other… she felt like she owed it to him. "if I say yes I would require that you also pay for my portion of the rent on my flat. My roommate can't afford it on her own."

"If you agree I will buy the building and you both can live there free for the rest of your lives."

Ginny laughed out loud at his suggestion. "Alright, I'll do it."

"Excellent!" Abraxas exclaimed, thrilled by her acceptance. He held up his wine glass to her and said, "Let's toast to the newest addition to the Malfoy family."

They spent the rest of their meal enjoying their amazing food and working out all the little details of their contract.

* * *

Ginny hurried back to the office after bidding goodbye Abraxas. She reached a nearby apperation point and instantly found herself once again surrounded by the four comforting walls of her office. This was one place Ginny was always able to think clearly.

Standing in her office the events of the last hour and a half came rushing back to her and she began to pace. What in the bloody hell had she been thinking? Had she really just agreed to marry Draco Malfoy? For money? She must be completely bonkers.

"Healer Weasley?"

Ginny whirled around, startled by the intrusion of her thoughts. Mrs. Coe stood in her door way holding a chart. "Your next appointment is ready for you."

* * *

Ginny quickly walked up the stairs to her third floor flat, unlocked the door with her keys and hung up her cloak on the hook by the door.

"Hal are you here?" she called as she tripped over her feet in a desperate attempt to get her black stilettos off.

"In the kitchen." Came Hallie's melodious voice from the direction of the room she had mentioned.

Ginny walked into the flat and headed towards the kitchen. "You will never guess what happened to me today." She said as she hoisted herself onto the countertop.

"You're probably right, get off the counter." Hallie scolded. She whacked Ginny on the rear with the spoon she had in her hand. "The girls are going to be here in half an hour, slice the cheese."

"Is it really Thursday?" Ginny asked.

"Mhm. How is it that you can be so brilliant and yet so clueless at the same time." Hallie shook her head in disgust.

Thursdays were the day of the week when all of Ginny and Hallie's girl friends met at their flat for some much needed girl time. It was a tradition that dated back to Ginny's Hogwarts days only back then it was Friday night girls' night. Once she had graduated and things had settled down after the war, she and her friend Allison decided that it was time to bring them back, only now on a week night so those with no significant others, namely Hal and Gin, could go out on Fridays.

"It's a gift. So who all is coming tonight?"

Besides Gin and Hallie, the full group included all of Ginny's roommates from Hogwarts Allison Appleby Potter, Robin White Finnegan, Beth Tanning Crabbe, and Gwen Brasher as well as Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood.

"Well Robin and Beth both owled, Little Liam is sick and Beth is on bed rest till the twins arrive. Oh, and Gwen has a date but everyone else will be here."

"Ok, well I guess I will just tell my news to everyone later." Ginny grabbed the plate of cheese and crackers she had just finished arranging and carried it out into the living room.

"What news?" Hallie called after in her lovely American accent.

"Nope, not telling you will have to wait like everyone else."

Not long after that their friends began to arrive one by one. The first was Hermione Granger, as usual. The tall willowy girl breezed through the door at six thirty on the dot.

"Hello all." She called from the entrance way.

After the war Hermione had taken over the position of Muggle Studies teacher at Hogwarts to fill the spot that had previously been slandered by the Death Eater Alecto Carrow. As she entered the room Ginny felt she was an eerie reminder of professor McGonagall with her bushy hair slicked back into a tight bun and all dark clothes that Ginny knew for sure were covered by dark robes.

"Hey Mione, how's my dear brother?"

Mione had been with Ron since their seventh year and despite all his blunders and pigheadedness she was completely smitten with him. He did have an amazing ability to get on her nerves though.

"I do not want to talk about your stupid brother and his inability to ask me to marry him after being together for over four years. I also don't want to talk about any of the little idiots that I teach. The only thing I want to do is drink heavily and gossip." She gave Ginny a quick hug, blew a kiss to Hallie as she walked into the room and threw herself down onto the nearest couch.

"Wow, long day?" Hallie inquired.

Hermione snorted in a very Ron-esque fashion, "You could say that."

"Alrighty then, you get to pick tonight's poison. We have wine, vodka and tequila."

"Oooh margaritas!"

"Comin' right up." she said and with a flick of her wand the sound of the blender filled the room.

At that moment the door flew open as their other friends made a grand entrance.

The first to emerge from the foyer was a beautiful black woman with creamy brown skin, short black hair in a pixie cut, and deep brown eyes that seemed to be able to see into your very soul. She was stylishly dressed in a deep purple cardigan and dark tight jeans which Ginny had no doubt had been completed by an amazing pair of black stiletto boots that she had long coveted. Allison Potter was the most stylish person Ginny had ever met. Friends and roommates back in their Hogwarts days, the two had remained close over the years.

After graduation and the war Allie had taken over management of the ever popular Honeydukes in Hogsmeade from her aging parents. Mr. and Mrs. Flume were all too pleased to let their only daughter take over for them so that they could travel the world, no longer having to worry about the condition of their shop.

Two years ago Allison had married the hero of the wizarding world, Harry Potter, after Ginny herself had set them up back in their sixth and his seventh year at school. Ginny was also one of Allie's bridesmaids.

This woman was followed closely by Luna Lovegood. Luna, whom they affectionately called Looney, was one of Ginny's dearest friends from her Hogwarts days. A Ravenclaw and an eccentric, everything about the woman from her antique radish earrings to her lime green heels which she had deposited in the foyer was 100% Luna.

After the war Luna had taken over as editor at her father's magazine, The Quibbler. She loved her job more than anything else, well almost anything. The only thing that could possibly top her job was her gorgeous boyfriend, Blaise Zabini. Most people found these two to be the most unusual couple in the wizarding world, both were purebloods yes, but Blaise's rich, aristocratic lifestyle didn't seem to match Luna's far left-center world. Anyone who actually knew the pair though could never deny how perfect they were. Blaise and Luna balanced each other out and were so in love they didn't care what anyone else thought anyway.

"Hey all." Said the tiny woman. Flinging herself down onto the nearest couch, Luna twisted up her long wavy blond hair into a perfect bun on the top of her head and turned to stare at Ginny with her dreamy blue eyes. "I need alcohol."

"Join the club." Mione snorted as she lifted her legs up for Allison to sit.

"Hold your horses!" Hallie called from the kitchen as margaritas began to float into the room.

"Wow, another wonderful American expression!" Luna giggled as she strained to grab the margarita that whizzed over her head to Hermione's waiting grasp.

Everyone else laughed along with her before beginning to chatter about the past week of their lives since the last time they had been able to hang out.

"Alright Ginny, so what's this news of yours?" Hallie's voice floated above the rest of the chatter as she walked into the living room with the last two margaritas.

"What? Ginny has news?" Allison squealed in delight.

"New bf Gin?" Luna inquired as she gratefully snatched the margarita that Hallie handed her.

Ginny snorted into her drink. "You might say that."

"What else might you say?"

"Well, finance could work too or employer as well."

"I am incredibly confused." Mione said.

"So today I had a meeting with Abraxas Malfoy."

Mione, Luna and Allie all burst out into laughter while Hallie just looked on confused. "What's so funny?" the latter asked.

"Abraxas Malfoy has been dead for thirty years." Mione explained. "And he decided to pass on. There is just no way you could have had a meeting with him Gin."

"Well, actually he faked his death and had been living in France. He came to see me today with a rather odd proposal. He wants me to marry his grandson."

* * *

Well here it is. I am SOOOO sorry that it has taken so long. I am juggling school, a job, and beaucoup des autre choses. Not abandoning I promise just long intervals in between chapters. I will tell you though that I have lots of ideas for this story so I have been skipping around writing them down as I think of them.

So this chapter was originally almost 700 words longer but I decided to cut it in order to get it to you faster so I am not entirely happy with the ending but bare with PLEASE!!!!!

Oh and I am also working on my other story, Falling For A Ferret. If you have the time you should check it out and let me know what you think. Which one is better? (I know shameless plug, don't hate me!)

PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I love knowing opinions, comments, and ideas for the story!!! Let me know what you think!!!

3 Care


	4. Life or Something Like It

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 4: Life, or Something Like It

* * *

"_He wants me to marry his grandson."_

This time her statement was greeted by complete stunned silence.

"Oh don't look at me like that!" Ginny chided her friends as she launched into a complete explanation of the afternoons festivities.

Hermione was the first to recover. "You know this is crazy right?"

"Yeah, probably, but I am going to do it anyway. I can do a lot with the money and I feel that this is the right thing to do." Ginny added quietly with a meaningful glance at Luna.

"Hang on, I'm so confused. Who are these Malfoy people?" Hallie interrupted.

"You're kidding right?" Allie asked. "There is no way that you could have lived in London for nearly two years and have no idea who the Malfoys are."

"I promise I don't."

"The Malfoys are an incredibly old pureblood family, almost as old as the Weasleys. They are probably the richest and most powerful family the world has ever seen." Hermione said in her best professor voice. "Most recently think deatheaters, Lucius Malfoy. Ringing any bells?"

"I vaguely remember the name from history and the Daily Profit. So who is the grandson?"

Suddenly Ginny had an idea and she jumped up and ran to the bathroom where she was sure she had left the latest copy of Witch Weekly after reading it in the bath the night before. She snatched it up and walked back down the hall flipping through the issue in search of the article she had briefly glanced at. She found it and handed it to Hallie when she reentered the room.

"THAT'S the dude you're gonna marry?!" she sounded distressed but her eyes betrayed her true thoughts as she avidly stared at the pictures in front of her.

The article Ginny had handed her was an interview with the little prick on the day to day life of everyone's favorite playboy. There were wizarding photos of him flying, him partying, modeling and of course one of him with girls hanging all over him. The piece de resistance though, and the one Hallie was currently drooling over, was a photo of Malfoy standing against a dark backdrop in only a pair of dark jeans. Plastered across his face was his patented Malfoy smirk, the one that made most women want him but only made Ginny sick to her stomach.

"Yes, that is the little bugger himself. Bloody hell he is such a self-centered prick!"

"But he's so hot?"

"Yes, yes we know," Hermione assured her. "But Ginny is correct he is a prick, always has been. He looks good but it is only to hide the evil inside."

"He's not evil!" Luna interjected with a pointed glance at Ginny. "He is actually quite sweet, just a little misguided currently."

"Says the girl who is in love with his best friend!" Allison reasoned.

"Well yeah, but Draco really is a lot nicer than people give him credit for." Luna was becoming distressed at the Malfoy bashing that was taking place. "Come on Ginny, you know him! Tell them how sweet he is."

Ginny turned bright red. "No, I don't really know him. We tolerated each other for you and Blaise back in school but that's about as far as I can go."

Luna looked outraged but didn't say anything more for which Ginny was glad. A good chuck of her past wasn't something she ever wanted to think about again.

An uneasy silence fell over the group as they all turned to their margaritas to avoid the eyes of the others.

"Well I have two questions," Hallie said breaking the silence after a few minutes. "First, when do you move in? And second, what color is my dress going to be?"

All the women even Luna had to laugh and then the night carried on as usual as the heavy atmosphere that had descended lifted.

* * *

"You know Gin," Allison began as she finished off the dregs of her second drink. "I don't know if you remember this but there was this time back in fifth year during a round of Truth or Dare at one of our Friday night rituals where…"

"You dared me to steal the great bounding ferret's skivies?"

"Yeah that would be the time." She laughed.

"What?!?! When was this? What happened?" Hallie insisted.

"You better tell the story Ginevra Weasley!" Hermione chimed in looking deadly serious.

Ginny couldn't help but giggle as she remembered the Friday night ritual that led her straight down the path that led to Draco. She recalled that night as if it were yesterday not over five years ago.

"Ok, ok! I'll tell you what happened." Ginny was laughing by this point as well. "It all started off when I came up with this amazing dare for Allison…"

"_Gin," Allison said as the thin black girl reached into the gigantic pile of sweets in the middle of the five roommates circle to grab a rogue chocolate frog. "Truth or dare?"_

_Ginny look up from the box of Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans she was carefully sifting through with some success, although she did mistake a wasabi one for lime ten minutes before hand. "Umm…I don't know. I normally prefer dare but with the dare I gave you last week I'm pretty sure you are out for blood sooo… I guess I am stuck with truth." She swiveled her body around so that she could lay stretched out on her stomach and stole a pink fuzzy pillow from Robin who was on her right. _

"_Smart woman. You're right I do want your blood after you made me prance around the common room in nothing but my underwear. You will pay, mark my words Weasley." She said. She tried in vain to look menacing but such a sweet looking girl with her round cherub face and deep golden brown, almond shaped eyes could accomplish that as well as a kitten. _

"_You could have taken the forfeit love."Ginny replied cheekily as she slowly twisted a stray bright red curl around her finger. _

"_Mhm, sure, because Potter would so enjoy being molested in public."_

"_Kissing someone isn't molestation." Ginny retorted in a mocking sing song voice. "Besides, I bet he would enjoy it."_

_Allison lobbed several pieces of candy at her for her cheeky remark before settling back down. "Alright back to business, your question is if you could shag anyone in the entire school, regardless of year or house, who would it be." She looked triumphant as she took in Ginny's horror stricken face. _

"_I don't wanna answer."_

"_Don't care. Gods I love being able to brew Veriteserum, it makes this game so much more fun!"_

_The four girls in the room turned and starred at Ginny. "Well Gin?"Gwen urged._

_They saw her lips move but heard no sound. "It doesn't count if we can't hear you." Beth chided. _

_Ginny let out a growl of frustration, "Agh! Ok, if I could shag anyone in the entire school it would have to be without a doubt Draco Malfoy."_

_There was a stunned silence that greeted Ginny's statement. All her friends stared at her, jaws dropped while the redhead made an exceptional effort to have her skin match her hair color._

_Allison was the first to recover, "Wow, I don't think that was the answer anyone was expecting." She let out a little laugh that helped to dissipate the rest of the shock from the circle._

"_Malfoy? Really Gin?" Beth asked. "I was expecting someone more along the lines of Harry or Seamus. That was a shock."_

"_Well think about it." Ginny leaned up on her elbows to be closer to the group. "He is intelligent, rich and athletic. He can be fun to be around if you actually know him like the Slys do and most importantly of all, he is drop dead bloody gorgeous! Pureblood breeding and a seeker's rigorous workout made him an Adonis physically. I honestly find him both more attractive and more interesting than any of the blokes in Gryffindor…and the bad-boy thing is such a turn on!"_

"_She's right." Gwen conceded. "The boy is quite fit. If only he weren't such a dick."_

_The girls collapsed into laughter and continued their game. _

_Much later in the evening, when most of the candy had been consumed, the game once again found Ginny to be the center of attention. Thinking she was safe with Robin as the one who would decide her fate she decided to try her hand at accepting a dare. _

_She watched apprehensively as Robin and Allison exchanged glances. _

"_I forfeit my dare to Allie."_

"_No!!!"_

_Allison let out an evilly gleeful laugh. "Finally! I have the perfect thing! Ginny Weasley, I dare you to retrieve a pair of Draco Malfoy's boxers from the boys bathroom."_

"_WHAT?!? No!! Not happening! Ever!"_

"_You could take the forfeit Gin." Gwen pointed out. _

"_What's the forfeit?"Ginny asked not liking at all where this game was going._

_This time Allison's grin was positively maniacal. "Kiss Draco Malfoy in the middle of the Great Hall at breakfast tomorrow."_

_Ginny paused in thought. Neither prospect seemed at all appealing, but she definitely knew which one would be the lesser of two evils and would possibly be less embarrassing. "How long do I have to get the boxers?"_

"So, you would sleep with Malfoy?" Mione asked eyebrows raised.

"Mhm and I'm not ashamed." Ginny responded as she reached across the couch and grabbed the magazine from Hallie who was still drooling over the photo. "Look at him. You would sleep with him too. If there were no Ron and the opportunity presented itself you would, I know it and you know it."

"Well maybe if I had never known Malfoy at school but since I did, nope, no interest at all."

"Sure Mione, whatever you say." Hallie said rolling her eyes. "And you, give me back that magazine I was not finished orgasming over this photo. You were really friends and you didn't at least try to tap that?"

Ginny and Luna both nearly choked on their drinks.

"Not exactly." She laughed.

Ginny leaned back on the couch and sighed. Now that her friends knew her decision and would support her the following months with Draco wouldn't be nearly as difficult. Now all she had to do was tell her family.

* * *

The fire roared to life in the Floo room of the Manor and two figures stepped gracefully out of the fire. One was a stick thin brunette woman whose pathetic excuse for a dress did little more than hide the most important parts of her body behind an ultra thin layer of gold fabric.

Her companion was slightly different though. A tall blond man dressed in dark blue jeans that were obviously professionally ripped for an astonishing price and a deep green silk shirt that, although was not his best color was not a detriment either. This man stepped into this room with a familiarity that showed he had lived in this manor all his life and his cunning Grey eyes did not feel the need to sweep the surroundings and take in the splendor of what he considered to be a useless room as his inebriated female companion did.

No, instead he simply dragged the woman along by the arm that was slid through his out of this insignificant portion of the Manor and though many more impressive rooms to reach the main foyer. This room was jointly dominated by a set of massive gilded mahogany doors and directly across from them a regal grand staircase that was bigger than the woman's entire flat.

This site made her freeze in awe despite the man's determination to get her up the stairs and hopefully into a bedroom.

"This is so beautiful!" the petit brunette exclaimed.

"Yes, yes. Come along Giselle." He replied, never having quite been able to understand women's fascination with the bloody entrance hall.

He was finally able to get her to the stairs when a deep booming voice echoed through the formerly silent night making him cringe.

"Draco, you will come in here immediately." Abraxas said standing at the doorway to his study. "Bid that woman goodnight." He said in a tone that was clearly meant to say 'get rid of that trollop'.

Sighing in defeat and sexual frustration Draco Malfoy released his grip on the would-be model and turned to face her saying "Well I am sorry my dear but I am afraid I am going to have to cut this evening short." He lightly grasped her hand and placed a soft kiss on the top. "Blinky will show you out." He motioned to the houseelf that had appeared out of nowhere to stand beside him and flashed the poor confused little social climber one last knee weakening smile before heading back down the stairs and letting himself into his grandfather's study.

"This better be important."

Abraxas stood inside the room and was in the process of pouring himself a shot of firewhiskey. He smirked at his grandson's entrance. "Good evening to you too, you little shit. I thought I told you not to bring any of your little whores back to the manor. It upsets your mother and your grandmother."

"Well that's why I waited until all you old people should have been in bed, only problem was you, you crazy old man. I can't believe you fucked that up for me, that bird was hot." Draco whined throwing himself down on the black sofa and stretching out the full length.

Abraxas frowned and pulled out his wand. He waved it and sparks shot out of the tip, zapping Draco's feet. "Get your feet off my settee. That woman was only interested in using a night with you to boost her social status."

"Yes, I am quite aware of that fact and I was more than happy to let her use me. All I cared about was getting thoroughly shagged." Draco pushed himself up and walked over to pour himself a shot. He had downed two in a matter of seconds.

"Draco, that's enough." Abraxas commanded. "Sit down; I have some news for you and you're not going to like it."

"Grandfather, I rarely like what you have to say to me as of late." Draco drawled, but he did not argue and sat in the chair to which Abraxas had motioned.

"Oddly, I don't particularly care." The older man noted casually. "The reason I have brought you in here tonight is because I would like to congratulate you on your recent engagement"

"Come again?" Draco asked one perfect platinum eyebrow raised.

"Yes," he said moving to stand beside his grandson's chair. "I signed a contract with a young woman today to marry you for one year in order to give me some time to try and get our family's name and what is left of our dignity out of the mud. The only way I can do that is with a guarantee that you," he poked him in the chest. "Will be secured and out of my way. So, I bought you the perfect bride Draco. She is smart and beautiful and a pureblood with a serious attitude that can handle all of your crap!"

"And what exactly makes you think I will agree to this?" Draco demanded pushing himself out of his high-backed chair.

"Because if you don't you will be completely disinherited."

"Right and lose your only heir? I highly doubt that."

"Listen to me you little spoiled brat! If you don't obey me then I will just have to get your mother and father to produce me a new heir. Don't underestimate me Draco. I am that powerful and I will get my way. Now you'd better go to bed, alone. You have a busy day tomorrow, the wedding plans begin."

Draco stormed over to the door, completely furious with what he was being subjected to. He had his hand on the door knob and was about to leave when something occurred to him. "Who is she?"

"Come again?" his grandfather looked up from the stack of papers he had already begun to attend to.

"You never told me who she was. So, who is she?"

"The woman? Oh, her name is Ginevra Weasley."

Oh gods, anyone but her.

* * *

YAY so this one didn't take nearly as long! But the next one might because I HAVE to update my other story. I has been WAY too long! But I will try to write both as fast as possible!!!

For those of you who care, I am done with all my craziness and graduate next Saturday. Thanks for sticking with me

Please review!!!!

3 Care


	5. Nothin a Bottle of Firewhiskey Can't Fix

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 5: Nothing A Bottle of Firewhiskey Can't Fix

Draco slowly closed the door. He stood in the hallway for a moment completely dazed at the news that had just been thrown at him.

He felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. His grandfather had managed to pick out the one and only person that he had vowed to himself to avoid at all costs.

Ginny Weasley. He needed a drink.

Too stunned to walk all the way up to his third floor living quarters, he pulled his wand out of his back pocket and apperated directly into his bedroom.

He walked over to the bar that stood in the corner of his room, a gift from Blaise for his 15th birthday. That's how Slytherins did birthdays from a very young age: the most expensive illegal thing they could get their hands on. He opened the gilded mahogany doors on the front to peruse his stash of liquor.

Looks like one bottle of brandy, two vodkas, a bottle and a half of rum, and three full bottles of his favorite firewhiskey. He grabbed one of the firewhiskey bottles by the neck and unscrewed the top to take a big swig directly from the head.

Ginny Weasley the bloody little minx who had invaded his life back in school was now trying to do it again. Why couldn't he marry Pansy or even Looney, although he wasn't sure Blaise would approve of that?

He walked cradling his bottle over to his high-backed recliner. It was about one hundred years old and Draco had found it at the age of ten when he had been snooping through the East wing of the house which hadn't been lived in in over eighty years. It was a huge chair that even Draco's 6'3'' frame could comfortably stretch out on and was made of butter soft black leather that was just in the last year or so beginning to show its age.

He threw himself down in his chair careful not to spill any firewhiskey and leaned his head back trying in vain to relax and think clearly. Nothing helped though he could not shake the dread he had felt since his grandfather broke the horrible news to him.

Ginny Weasley. He remembered the first time we was approached by the little minx for something more than just a good round of insults and look how well that turned out!

_

* * *

_

Well it was either now or never. She had to decide right now whether to take the forfeit or venture into uncharted enemy territory. She knew he was in there and that he was alone. She knew the password now all she needed to do was to find the courage to use it.

_In all honesty it wasn't hard to figure out his patterns. Malfoy was nothing if not a creature of habit, but she knew that too. She had been aware for quite some time of every movement he made: every graceful step he took, every flash of his cunning, devious grey eyes, and of course the perfect upward tilt of his utterly kissable lips into the patented Malfoy smirk. Bloody hell she sounded like a stalker! It wasn't quite as bad as all that but it seemed like Ginny's eyes had become trained over the last year or so to scan and seek out Malfoy anytime she might encounter him. _

_Now was the moment of truth, all her knowledge of Malfoy's daily patterns had led to this moment. It was Thursday night and Ginny had less than twenty-four hours before she had to make good on her dare. _

"_Sea Salt." She said and the door to the fifth floor boy's bathroom that was reserved just for the prefects swung open. She braced herself and stepped inside. _

_

* * *

_

Draco dipped his hand into the large tub in his favorite bathroom. The water was perfect as usual. He had been sneaking into this bathroom late at night since he discovered it in his second year only now he wasn't sneaking.

_Draco had been awarded the office of prefect in his fifth year and had taken full advantage of all the perks that were associated with that status. Later curfews, special privileges and especially the bathrooms all made having to do rounds after everyone else had gone to bed worth it._

_He had just gotten off rounds in fact and decided that now was the perfect time to take a nice long bath because there would be no one in the bathroom._

_He disrobed and slid into the warm soothing water. _

_Not more than five minutes later he heard the door swing open announcing the entrance of another person into his peace and quiet. He looked up more than a little annoyed at being disturbed and was taken aback at what he saw. _

_Standing in the middle of the boy's bathroom was the Weaselette. _

"_Are you lost?"_

_She flushed a bright shade of pink that even Draco had to admit was quite cute on the petit redhead. "Sorry, no. I was looking for you actually. I was wondering if I could ask you a favor."_

"_And you chose now to do it?" he asked. _

"_Well I wanted to ask you when you were alone and now is actually perfect." She twisted her hands in nervousness as she spoke and looked down at the floor. _

"_Oh really?" he asked one blond eyebrow raised. "Why would I want to do anything for you exactly? What's in it for me?"_

"_Well I don't know exactly, a good laugh maybe?"_

"_Oh do tell." He drawled. He was thankful for the all the bubbles in the bath, for some reason being naked in front of this girl made him nervous. It was a new feeling for him. _

"_Well you see my friends and I always have Friday night girls night in our dorm where we eat looks of candy, drink butterbeer and play truth or dare. We always play with veritaserum so that everyone actually has to be truthful." She was speaking so fast that he wasn't exactly sure he had caught everything she had said. "So two weeks ago I dared my friend Allison to parade around our common room in just her underwear or take the forfeit to kiss Harry after the Quidditch game last week. She took the dare but was absolutely furious with me." She paused to take a breath._

"_This is all fascinating Weasel but what does it have to do with me?" Draco drawled in his famously bored tone. _

_Ginny giggled nervously, it was almost as cute as her blushing. When had the Weaselette become cute?_

"_Sorry I'm coming to that. Well because of what I did to Allison she was out for blood last week. So when the opportunity arose for her to come up with a dare for me she chose for me to have to find some way to get a pair of your boxers to take for show-and-tell tomorrow night."_

_Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. Not only did the weasel need a favor but she needed a personal item. He found the whole situation completely hysterical and so he burst out laughing. _

_This caused Ginny to flush and even darker shade of red. "Stop that." She snapped at him. _

"_So you are here to steal my skivvies?" _

_Ginny growled at him, "No! Don't be a…well never mind that's not possible for you. Yes if I have to steal it I will but I would prefer that you give it to me so I can then give them back to you."_

_He grabbed the green and silver stripped boxers sitting in his pile of clothes and tossed them across the room at her. "Enjoy Red." He smirked at her._

"_You are such an arse." She turned to leave. _

"_Red? When can I get my boxers back?"_

"_How does Monday morning outside the Great Hall sound?"_

"_After breakfast has already started." He clarified. _

"_Of course. Well until then, thanks Draco." Ginny turned and hurried out of the bathroom. _

_Draco? Had the Weasel ever called him Draco? He didn't think so. It sounded odd coming out of her mouth but also strangely not at all unpleasant. Maybe this girl could be a new form of entertainment. _

* * *

"_Thanks again Malfoy" she said as he approached the place where she was leaning on the wall. It was Monday morning and they were meeting just after breakfasted started as was previously agreed upon. _

"_Hey Weasley, so did they help or am I now going to have to assist you in that forfeit?" he smirked at her obviously still amused by the whole situation. He leaned on the wall next to her._

"_Nope everything worked out perfectly you're off the hook." She smiled up at the tall boy as she handed the boy his boxers._

"_Don't you mean you owe me one?"_

"_Yeah I guess I do." She giggled. "Thanks again."_

_She pushed off the wall and began to walk away when Malfoy called out and called her back. "Hey Weasel,"_

_She stopped and turned back to him. "Yeah?"_

"_What was the forfeit?"_

_She let out her cute little laugh one more time, "I would have to kiss you in front of the whole school like now for example. Bet you're glad you gave me your boxers now aren't you?" Then she continued into the Great Hall. _

"_No, not really." He said once she was out of earshot. Draco stood there a moment longer and watched one of the most interesting girls he had ever met walk away and join her fellow Gryffindors for breakfast._

* * *

Draco sat in his rooms brooding until he could no longer stand the internal debate going on inside him. He flew out of the chair to his fireplace. He grabbed a handful of floo powder as he stepped in and clearly said "Chateau de Pensée"

He found himself in a beautiful open villa in the south of France. It was light and open with huge bay windows and bright colors. None of that was visible now though because of the time but this didn't bother Draco; he had seen in before and he would see it again.

Now he walked straight over to the staircase that was tucked into the corner of the room barely visible with the low light coming in through the windows. He took them two at a time and entered the first room on left.

"Hey I need to….oh!" Draco was horrified by the scene before him and quickly closed the door he had just opened.

"Oh bloody hell!" he heard a familiar male voice swear.

It was followed by a little giggle and a woman calling out "You can come in now Drae. We're both decent enough."

This time Draco slowly opened the door and peeked around the edge as if not sure what the woman had said was true. "I'm scared for life."

"That's why you need to learn to knock." She said as she sat on the edge of a large bed that was the main focus of the lavender colored room.

Pansy Parkinson perched on the edge of the bed and twisted her shoulder length black hair into a knot at the back of her head. She had grown out of what the other houses had described as her pugginess but which the Slys had always just considered to be her teenage awkwardness and was now a beautiful woman worthy of her pureblood breeding.

When Draco entered the room she was mercifully dressed in a pale green silk dressing gown as opposed to moments earlier when there had been significantly less clothing on her amazing, voluptuous body.

"I've never had a reason to knock before." Draco said still more than a little stunned at the presence of a man in his lifelong friend's sanctuary. Only a handful of people even knew of the Chateau's presence and it was Pansy's strict rule that she never brought her men to her favorite hideaway.

"Well you do now mate." Said Greg Goyle, another of Draco's friends and one of his former roommates.

"You?" Draco said, raising an eyebrow. "Again?"

Goyle laughed, "Yeah, me again, hopefully for good this time." He walked over and sat behind Pansy on the bed as Draco cautiously moved to one of the chairs that were scattered about the room.

"Did you need something Drae?" Pansy asked leaning back slightly in to Goyle's embrace.

"Mhm, I needed to talk you about my grandfather, he's gone insane."

Goyle let out a growl of annoyance to which he received a sharp elbow in the ribs.

"Why do you think that love?"

"Because he is forcing me to get married." Draco responded sliding down in his chair.

"Excuse me?"

"I am getting married very soon to a 'fine, well respected young woman' that Abraxas picked out. The best part though is the girl."

"Who is it?" Greg asked with a highly amused expression on his face.

"I'm going to be married to Ginny Weasley."

"Gin? Wow, now isn't that interesting." Pansy said raising one perfectly arched black eyebrow.

Draco simply shook his head and dropped it into his hands.

"Hey Greg love, could you give us a few minutes."

"Sure thing baby." Goyle said kissing her on the forehead and getting up from the bed. "I'll go make a sandwich."

"Thank you." She responded as she looked up at the large man lovingly. She watched as he walked out of the room and closed the door. "So what exactly is going on? Start from the beginning."

So Draco launched into a long explanation of the evening's events and his grandfather's crazy plan and worst of all his bride-to-be.

"Wow." Was all Pansy could think to say after he had finished his tale.

"Is that all you're gonna say? Wow? I need your help Pans." Draco brought his hand up to his face and squeezed the bridge of his nose to try and alleviate some of the pressure that was building up behind his eyes. "How in the hell did he find her? The one person I truly wanted to live without is coming back into it."

"Draco stop being melodramatic." Pansy said rolling her eyes at his theatrics. "I really believe that this is a good thing."

"How could you possibly think that?" Draco asked sarcasm obviously colouring his tone.

"Well, ever since I reconnected with Greg I have realized just how absurd my actions over the last few years have been. Seeing my first love helped me to change and maybe it can help you too."

"No." he said forcefully. "There is no way I will ever make the mistake of getting close to Weasley again. We were wrong the first time and in this case history should never repeat itself."

Pansy shook her head slightly, "I'm not saying you should try to fall in love with her again, and don't look at me like that Draco Malfoy, you were." She scowled at his obvious denial of his previous feeling for the girl. "No, I am saying that maybe seeing her again will help you to let go of the torch we both know you have been carrying for her for the last four years and move on with your life. You need to have a healthy relationship and let go of this absurd lifestyle that you have been living and I think this year will help you to do that."

Draco sighed in defeat and got up from his chair. He walked over to the bed and placed a kiss on the top of Pansy's head. "Thanks for the pep talk love, but I already know the girl I need, I am just still looking for her. I'll see you later." With that he walked out of the room, down the stairs and into the fire, pausing only to say a quick goodbye to Goyle who was in the kitchen making himself a sandwich.

"Later mate!" the large man called out as Draco apperated back into his bedroom. He quickly stripped down to nothing but his underwear. He wearily climbed into his king size bed and pulled the black curtains closed, grateful for once to be alone.

* * *

After Draco left his office Abraxas quickly penned a short note to Ginny to be delivered in the morning by owl. It read:

_My Dearest Ginny, _

_I would be much obliged if you would be willing to come to the manor tomorrow evening for dinner to meet the rest of my family and, unfortunately for you, your betrothed. Dinner is served promptly at 7:00 so if the evening works for you if you could arrive at 5:00 so we can make an effort to finish the business portion of the evening before dinner is served. Please reply with your answer. _

_Sincerely, _

_Abraxas Malfoy_

He sealed the letter with wax and the Malfoy seal and placed it in the pile to be taken out for the morning post. With any luck, Ginny and Draco would meet tomorrow.

* * *

Hey guys,

So here is chapter 5. I hope you like it!

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed chapter 4. I love knowing what people are thinking… questions, comments, opinions of where you think the story should go, I'm open to anything! Just let me know!

3 Care


	6. First Meeting

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 6: First Meeting

* * *

Ginny Weasley was awoken on Saturday morning by a sharp tap-tap-tap on her bedroom window of a post owl. She groaned and rolled over to look at her evil little alarm clock. It was 8:30 in the morning. What an ungodly hour to be up at on a Saturday morning.

She rolled out of bed, pausing to readjust her black tank top and pink pajama shorts, and walked over to the window to let in a large black eagle owl with a small scroll tied to his leg with soft leather thongs.

"Who could this be from?" she wondered aloud.

The owl hooted and pecked softly at her arm to get her attention. "Oh sorry." She said to the bird and grabbed an owl treat from a small box she kept on her window seal for occasions such as these. "Here you go." She handed the bird a treat and expected him to fly away but when he didn't she was puzzled.

"What do you want now?" she asked him and he simply nudged the note in her hand which she had yet to open and hooted at her once again. "Ok! Ok! Let me read it."

She picked up the small scroll and examined it noting a beautiful seal in green wax. Such an intricate seal could only belong to a pureblood family. _Three guesses who this is from_ she thought to herself.

She carefully broke the seal and unrolled the parchment. It read:

_My Dearest Ginny, _

_I would be much obliged if you would be willing to come to the manor tomorrow evening for dinner to meet the rest of my family and, unfortunately for you, your betrothed. Dinner is served promptly at 7:00 so if the evening works for you if you could arrive at 5:00 so we can make an effort to finish the business portion of the evening before dinner is served. Please reply with your answer. _

_Sincerely, _

_Abraxas Malfoy_

Ginny sighed. She really wasn't ready for all this; I had only been two days after all. Yes she had agreed to the arrangement but that didn't mean she necessarily wanted to have anything to do with Draco as of yet. Plus going tonight would make everything legal and then she wouldn't be able to back out of it. She doubted that she would but having the option made her feel better.

Unfortunately she didn't have a good excuse ready to get out of the engagement and so she simply pulled out a piece of parchment and scribbled a quick reply.

_Abraxas,_

_It would be my pleasure to join you and your family for dinner this evening. I will be there at five as you requested. See you this evening. _

_Sincerely, _

_Ginny Weasley_

Ginny quickly read over her response. It sounded a bit strained to her but it would have to do the owl was waiting and so was Abraxas. She rolled up the parchment and tied it with a red ribbon and secured it to the thongs. With one last pat from Ginny the owl was off.

Dinner at the Malfoys, wow. She needed Hallie and they needed to go shopping.

* * *

Draco woke up early on Saturday morning. Rolled out of bed and walked out onto the balcony of his room. It was a beautiful morning, cool and crisp, exactly what an early autumn morning should feel like.

"Lilith." He called out. And within a second there was a tiny house elf standing before him in a tiny yellow dress.

Lilith was Draco's personal house elf and had been since he turned thirteen. She was quite possibly the tiniest house elf that he had ever seen standing barely two feet tall. She was tenacious and was the only house elf that would stand up to Draco and all his crap which was the reason he had asked her to be his personal elf. Over the years he felt as if he had gone from respecting the obstinate little elf to actually loving her. He showed her his love by giving her fabric and patterns so she could make her own clothes, a slight loop hole in house elf slavery law. She, for her part, adored him as much as he did her, doing whatever he wanted unless she thought he was being an idiot.

"Yes Little Dragon, what can I be doing for you?" That was another thing about the elf; she never referred to him as master but by her own pet name for him.

"Could you please bring me a cup of coffee?"

"Of course." She said and then there was a pop as she disappeared.

Draco crossed the balcony to sit on the thick stone railing. He stretched out his arms trying to shake the last of the latent sleep from his body.

Another pop alerted him to the return of his favorite being in the Manor.

"Draco!" his full name that meant he was in trouble. "Get down off that railing before you is falling and breaking your neck!" Lilith yelled at him, her button nose turning bright red with the force of her anger.

"Ok! Ok! Lily I'll get down. I was just perching." Draco hopped down from the ledge and walked back to the door where his elf was standing. "Better?"

"Yes, you was going to fall to your death and then Lilith was going to be losing her Little Dragon! And you needs to be going to put on some clothes. It is being too cold out here for just what you is wearing."

Now that she mentioned it he was a bit chilled. After all he was wearing nothing but the black pajama pants he had worn to bed and with the crisp morning air he discovered his whole body was cover in little goose bumps that made him shiver. But it just felt too good to be going inside. He took the cup of coffee that Lilith shoved at him, obviously still annoyed with his behavior. "Hey," He said to her after taking a sip of his coffee. "I think I am going to go flying."

"Oh no!" Lilith said in her best scolding voice. "When you goes flying you gets hurt. You is just getting back from St. Mungo's and I is not letting you go again because you likes to be stupid."

Draco laughed at the tiny little creature. She had one hand on her hip and the other with a finger pointed at him to scold. She was so cute but that didn't mean he would make the mistake of crossing her. That little elf was a force to be reckoned with. When Lilith wanted something she got her way, especially when it came to Draco. He was going to have to weasel his way out of this and convince her that he wouldn't do anything stupid.

"Come on Lily, I swear I'll be good. Just flying; no tricks or stunts or injuring myself accidentally or on purpose, promise!" he pleaded with her.

She looked him over, probably trying to decide if he was telling the truth. They both knew that he had put himself in the hospital on more than one occasion for various reasons and she didn't want it to happen again. When she sighed in defeat Draco knew he had won. "Fine Drae can be going flying but he better not be having one single scratch on himself when he is coming back."

His face broke out into a genuine smile. "Thank you love!" he bent down and kissed his elf on her tiny cheek.

"Yes, yes, now you needs to be going and putting some clothes on!"

Draco nodded solemnly and then headed straight to his wardrobe to grab his Quidditch robes.

"Oh Drae, Lilith is almost forgetting. Master Abraxas is asking her to tell you that you needs to be coming to see him early this afternoon. He is needing to talk to you about tonight."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

* * *

Ginny and Hallie had been wandering around Glad Rags for over an hour. Ginny must have tried on at least thirty different outfits and none of them seemed to be what she was looking for.

"Oh Hal I give up!" Ginny collapsed onto the floor of the dressing room. She was wearing a midnight blue ball gown that when she was standing up had a form fitting bodice and a flowing skirt. Now that she was on the floor though the dress was now hiked up around her thighs in a most unladylike way.

"No! Gin we are going to find the perfect outfit we just haven't yet. I must say though I do think that the gown is a little bit overkill for family dinner."

Ginny looked as if she could kill her best friend. "Overkill? You think this is overkill? I said that when _you_ picked it up!"

"Breathe love. Come on let's get you out of that and then we will go try one more time." She offered her friend a hand and pulled her to her feet. "Turn." She ordered.

Ginny spun around to be released from the evil contraption.

Hallie hung up the gown while Ginny slipped back into her comfortable worn jeans and Holly head Harpies tee shirt. "Round three." She said as they stepped outside the dressing room.

"Ok let's go over our list of criteria again."

"It needs to be fabulous, it needs to make my body look amazing so Draco can drool all night but also it can't be too risqué because I don't want to upset the rest of the family and loose the job."

"And I think that we need to look for semi formal. What about a pair of nice, well tailored dress pants and a nice top? Maybe with a vest? You always look hot in that."

Ginny nodded in agreement. "I think that is sounding like a great idea. Lead the way Yoda."

Hallie let out a clear bell like laugh. "Yay! Pureblood British witch makes a muggle Americana reference! I am corrupting the wizarding world one witch at a time!"

"Come on you bint! I need to find this outfit."

* * *

Draco circled about fifty metres above the manor. He had been flying all around the expansive Malfoy grounds for several hours and now he was contemplating his options as to what he should do next.

Normal people in his situation would land their broom, apperate upstairs to change and then go back down and rationally talk to their grandfather but Draco was far from normal and besides that he was pissed off with his grandfather and this stupid plan he had devised. He also had the option of flying through the house up to his grandfather's door and then hopping off and walking in. that still wasn't right; that wouldn't piss off Abraxas only the Lilith and his mother neither of whom he wanted to cross.

No he felt that the best option was to blast open the window and fly directly into Abraxas's office. Yes that sounded perfect. That would only affect Abraxas.

Draco took out his wand and blew open his grandfather's office window and put his broom into a nose dive. He pulled out of it at the last second and gave the broom a burst of speed to rocket himself through the window. He pulled his broom to a stop and hopped off.

"Good afternoon grandfather."

Abraxas, who had been watching the entire stunt from his desk chair, gave him an amused smirk. "Good afternoon Draco, so nice of you to actually join me."

"You asked and I obeyed, are you surprised?" Draco leaned his broom against the window and sat down in one of the chairs opposite his grandfather.

"In a word? Yes."

Draco laughed out loud and Abraxas smirked in amusement.

"What can I do for you grandfather?"

"You can go get yourself cleaned up and ready yourself to meet your bride."

"What? Already?" Draco was mortified he had barely had enough time to process the idea of getting married, to her, and now she was on her way here. "Is there any way I can get out of this? If I promise to be good? Become an upstanding Malfoy? Anything?"

"I'm sorry but I have made up my mind. You have really gone too far with your stunts. Look at what you just pulled. We have to find a way to publicly fix your image and I truly believe that this girl is the best way. Wait till you meet her…"

"Save the speech," Draco interrupted. "I don't care who she is. What time will she be here?"

"Five o'clock to do business and she is staying for family dinner, both of which you will be expected to attend."

"Fine, I'm going to go get ready."

"Good."

Draco stood and exited the room. He needed a long hot shower. Despite his hours of flying he now felt extremely tense.

* * *

"Let me check you over." Hallie said to Ginny as she walked into her friend's room.

Hallie had spent the last two hours carefully doing Ginny's hair and makeup the muggle way so that it was all perfect. Makeup and hair spells just didn't have the same effect as plain old makeup, although longevity spells on hair were a gift from the gods.

Hallie had decided to go with a very natural look for Ginny because of all the color that was on her face already: a little powder to hide some of the freckles that were dusted across her nose and cheeks, some brown eyeliner and mascara to bring out the chocolate color of her eyes and a shiny pink gloss on her lips.

For her hair Hallie had worked with the copper colored curls to make them cascade perfectly into a frame for Ginny's face and then she quickly magiced it into place so it wouldn't lose the shape.

"I'm not going." Ginny said as Hallie entered the room. She was standing in her room dressed only in a bra and her pants on but not buttoned.

"Yes you are. I didn't spend three hours shopping and two hours fixing you up so you could chicken out right before you leave. Now get dressed."

Ginny sighed but continued to put on her clothes as instructed. The outfit was the one they had bought that afternoon. It consisted of a pair of black pinstriped pants that were perfectly tailored to Ginny and made her butt look fantastic, a loose royal purple shirt with a low v-neck and cap sleeves that got tight and cinched at the waist, and a short half vest that matched the pants. She had tried it on at the store and both Hallie and Ginny unanimously agreed that the outfit was perfect.

The outfit was completed with a pair of short black boots, some silver bangles, and little silver hoops.

"Ok what do you think?" Ginny asked spinning around so Hallie could get the full effect.

"Fabulous! You look perfect. Draco is going to drool over you for sure."

"Good." Ginny smirked in a way that any former Hogwarts student would have called very Slytherin like but since Hallie didn't it was never said.

* * *

Ginny took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was standing in front of a massive wood door her hand raised to knock. She felt as if she had been here before: standing in front of a door trying to decide whether or not to willingly interact with Draco Malfoy. And just like the last time even though her head told her to turn and run, she knew she wouldn't and so she knocked.

The door slowly opened and Ginny looked down to see a little house elf. "Hello Miss, how can I be helpings you this evening?"

What a strange little elf. No fear, no shaking, just a strange curiosity that she had never seen in a house elf.

"Hello, my name is Ginevra Weasley. I believe I am expected by Mr. Malfoy."

"Which one?" the bizarre elf looked at her like he was testing her; his eyes slightly narrowed and his long ears drawn backward.

It was too cute! Ginny couldn't help but to smile. "I'm sorry I should have been more specific. I am here to see Mr. Abraxas Malfoy."

"Yes Miss, you is expected. Follow me please." The elf opened the door wider so Ginny could pass through and then lead her through the most beautiful foyer she had ever seen.

The high ceiling was decorated with a moving sky that reflected a beautiful sunny day, much like that of the Great Hall at Hogwarts except here the magnificent wood arches that supported the ceiling were gilded in gold. Ginny was forced to pause and stare up in wonder.

"What is it with women and that bloody ceiling?" a deep rich voice cut through the air breaking Ginny's trance.

Ginny lowered he eyes and was greeted by the cold grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. "It's pretty. Why? Are your dates more interested in it than you?"

"I don't know Weasel, you tell me. Is it more interesting than the things I can do?" he asked arching one perfect blond eyebrow at her, smirk plastered in place.

She gave him a sickly sweet smile and answered without missing a beat. "Without a doubt."

Malfoy scowled at her and was about to retort when Abraxas entered the room. "Ah, Ginny, right on time."

"Of course sir." Ginny said focusing all her attention on him and now completely ignoring Draco.

"How lovely it is to see you again." He said as he approached her and offered her his arm. "Draco I would like to introduce you to Ms. Ginny Weasley."

"No introduction necessary Grandfather, the little Weaselette and I are already well acquainted. So how have you been Weasel?"

Abraxas reached over and wacked his grandson in the back of the head.

"What the fuck was that for?" Draco grimaced and rubbed the back of his head while Ginny looked amused.

"That was for calling the lady a rude name. I know your mother raised you better than that."

"Thank you Abraxas," Ginny said laying a hand on his arm. "But we went to school together for years; I am well versed in the Ferret's petty attempts at insulting me and my family."

"The what my dear?"

"No!" Draco burst out in a very un-Malfoy like way.

Ginny turned to him with a positively maniacal grin on her face. "Are you telling me, sir, that you have never heard the story of your grandson's amazing reign as Hogwarts' one and only the Great Bouncing Ferret?"

Abraxas laughed out loud. "No I can't say that I have. Would you be so kind as to inform me of what I have missed?"

"She wouldn't dare." Draco hissed. He narrowed his eyes and scowled at Ginny in a clearly malicious way.

"It would be my pleasure." Ginny replied looking directly at Draco in an obvious challenge.

* * *

Hey,

Ok here is chapter six. You all know the drill…comment please!!!!!! I hope everyone was pleased with the turn around on this chapter. It didn't take too long right?

Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 5. You all had some great comments and suggestions and you just made me laugh!!!

3 Care


	7. Dinner at the Malfoy's

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 7: Dinner at the Malfoy's

* * *

"_Are you telling me, sir, that you have never heard the story of your grandson's amazing reign as Hogwarts' one and only the Great Bouncing Ferret?"_

_Abraxas laughed out loud. "No I can't say that I have. Would you be so kind as to inform me of what I have missed?"_

"_She wouldn't dare." Draco hissed. He narrowed his eyes and scowled at Ginny in a clearly malicious way. _

"_It would be my pleasure." Ginny replied looking directly at Draco in an obvious challenge._

Abraxas let out a delighted little chuckle and hooked Ginny's arm through his own. "Tell me while we walk. Come along Draco."

Ginny smirked at the young blond man before focusing her attention completely on his grandfather. "Well the story begins back in my third year, which must have been Draco's fourth year. It all took place because of an incident with the then professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Mad-Eye Moody. Draco mouthed off to Harry Potter at just the right moment and then to Moody himself in his special slimy way which I am sure you are familiar with."

"Oh my dear you have no idea."

"So after that happened Moody immediately turned the little Slytherin Prince, whipped out his wand and transfigured him into a white ferret right in the middle of the courtyard for everyone to see. Then he proceeded to fling the poor little creature around bouncing him of people and objects and even down his friend Goyle's trousers."

The party had to halt with the force of Abraxas's laughter at Ginny's story. "What happened then?"

"Well unfortunately, Professor McGonagall walked up just at that moment and forced Moody to transfigure the git back into his normal smarmy self. It ruined everyone's fun. All the non-Slytherin witnesses were most put out by the end of the show. In the end Draco was transfigured back into his lovely self and he and his little friends ran off."

"Well that's a new one." Abraxas said with a smirk. It seemed as if Draco came by his smirking ability naturally. "Thank for sharing your glorious insights into the life of teenage Draco." He chuckled again before reclaiming Ginny's arm and continuing on down a long hallway to his office.

* * *

Draco walked behind Ginny and his grandfather fuming.

How could she do that? He had spent years hiding that story from his bloody family and that woman had not been in his house more than 30 minutes before spilling the secret of one of his most embarrassing moments to his grandfather. Thank you so much Weasley.

Why was she here anyway? He didn't understand why all this was happening.

What the hell were they thinking? This was the stupidest plan he had ever heard. There was no way that anyone in the wizarding community would believe that a Malfoy and Weasley would put aside their differences long enough to fall in love and get hitched. These families had been feuding with each other for generations and no amount of money in the world could get them in the same room. Look at Ginny and Draco's fathers. They had been making a very public display of their hatred for as long as Draco could remember.

In fact his very first visit to the Ministry of Magic when he was no more than three or four the only clear part of his memory was a run in with Ginny's father. That was the first time he had heard such colorful expletives come out of someone's mouth, especially that of his father.

But even more unbelievable than a Weasley and a Malfoy getting married was the fact that it was Ginny and Draco.

They were complete and utter opposites. She was a successful healer and a national hero because of the war. She was beautiful and bubbly and loved by everyone who met her whilst he, on the other hand, was rich, lazy and arrogant, an image that he was quite proud of having spent years building up the perfect rich boy reputation. Marrying each other wouldn't be good for either of them. It would force him to be 'good' and she would lose some people's respect for marrying the ultimate party boy.

That wasn't even mentioning how her family would take it. Sure, they would know the truth that it was a business deal, but all her brothers and not to mention Saint Potter would freak out anyway the moment they heard causing a rift in the family. He almost felt bad for her because of that, then again she was going to get paid for her trouble.

Why did he even care? Ginny Weasley was nothing to him, just another bird on his long list of relationships. Not important.

At least she has a nice figure, if he was going to have to live like a bloody monk for a year at least he would have a nice mental picture to wank to.

He took in her tiny stature once again. Small and shapely just as she always has been, in fact if it weren't for the sophisticated attire he wouldn't have guess she had aged at all. Seeing her brought back so many memories that he had been forcing himself to keep repressed but despite his best efforts one still managed to creep up on him.

* * *

_Draco walked quietly up the corridor and out of the dungeons, pausing momentarily to check and make sure the coast was clear in the entrance hall before he made his way down to the kitchens as he had hundreds of times before. _

_But tonight was no ordinary night, tonight he caught a glimpse of movement across the hall and watched as a small form quickly began to cross the entrance hall and was doing an amazing job keeping to the shadows. He wondered who it could possibly be. The size made him think it was a kid from one of the early years but the skill with which they glided through the shadows assured him that they were definitely upper classmen. Then he saw a flash of red in the moonlight and it all became clear. The Weaselette was out for a late night snack._

_Well this could be interesting he thought to himself. Ever since the night she had cornered him in the bathroom he had found that he was simply fascinated by this girl. The little Weasel was beautiful, interesting, and because of her brothers and her wand incredibly dangerous to be around so naturally Draco was drawn to her. He had even gone so far as to be civil to her in public on two occasions, all accidental of course._

_He waited until she was safely in the stairway leading down to the portrait of the fruit bowl before skulking over to the passageway himself. _

_Draco quickly and quietly headed down the stairs and into the long corridor that was connected to it. The passage was dimly lit but it was enough that he could clearly see Weasley about ten metres ahead of him. _

_He began to follow her, making sure he didn't make a sound while he walked a task that was made that much more difficult by how silently the girl in front of him padded down the hall. While they walked Draco couldn't help but notice how good the girl's arse looked in red pajama pants she was wearing._

_After about a minute they reached the portrait of the giant fruit bowl and just as the Weasel was reaching up to tickle the pear and gain entrance into kitchens Draco stepped right up behind her and whispered into her ear, "Well what have we here?"_

_XXX_

_Ginny reacted. In a split second she has twisted around with her wand at the ready. Upon seeing it was only Malfoy she took a deep breath. _

_He smirked down at her in his sexy confident way. "Did I scare you little weasel?"_

_Ginny glared back up at him. No matter how gorgeous this guy was he was never going to get the best of her. She reached over and smacked him upside the head just as she would one of her brothers. "Of course you did you idiot! Who sneaks up on someone in the middle of the night like that? Don't you know that we're in the middle of a war?" Her reasoning was weak she knew but it was all she could come up with so she ran with it. _

_Malfoy just stood there staring at her for a few moments before bursting out laughing._

_Ginny was taken aback. She didn't even know that Malfoy knew how to laugh. _

"_You know you're kinda cute sometimes Weasel." Malfoy said shaking his head in amusement. Then he reached behind her to tickle the pear which brought him so close to her that she could smell his cologne. If she was being honest with herself Ginny would have had to admit that the smell was intoxicating. _

_It took a great effort not to lean towards him when he backed away again. Wait had he called her cute?_

"_Shall we go in?"_

_XXX_

_Draco let Ginny enter the kitchens before him. Once they were both inside the portrait swung back into place and the duo was bombarded with no less than twelve houseelves offering to fetch them whatever they desired. _

_Suddenly one little voice stood out above the rest. "Ms Weezy!" and a small body came barreling at Ginny and attached itself to her legs._

_Weasley let out a clear little laugh and patted the creature on the head. "Hey Dobby."_

_Dobby? Draco was taken aback. His old elf was called Dobby. Sure enough the big brown eyes and massive ears of his childhood companion flicked in his direction. _

"_Hello Little Master." Dobby said shyly as he slowly released Ginny's legs. "How can Dobby be serving you?"_

"_Dobby." Draco said with a stiff nod. "I would like a mug of hot chocolate and a tin of biscuits." He paused and looked at Ginny. She nodded her acceptance. "Make that two hot chocolates."_

_Dobby simply nodded and scurried off to fill their order while they went over to one of the long tables that were exact replicas of the ones directly above them in the Great Hall. _

"_So," Weasley began looking down at her hands._

"_So." Draco mimicked with a smirk._

"_Little Master?" she looked up at him. _

"_Oh, yes," the smirk had vanished. "Dobby used to be a Malfoy house elf, my house elf actually, up until umm, I think it was my second year then he just vanished. It wasn't until last year that I found out that Dumbledore had hired him to work here."_

"_Oh." Ginny said simply as Dobby walked over to them with their order. _

_He set it down in front of them and told them just to call if anything else was needed. He paused and looked straight at Draco with those big eyes and Draco couldn't help but give him a small smile before he scurried away grinning from one big ear to the other._

_They both picked up their mugs and took a long drink from them. Then Draco set his back on the table and turned to Ginny and asked, "So why were you sneaking out of your house this late?"_

_Ginny began to answer but then glanced at Draco and stopped. Her lips began to twitch up into a smile as if she was trying not to laugh. _

"_What?" Draco asked incredulously. _

"_You have something on your nose." She giggled. She reached over to him and wiped a huge dollop of whipped cream from the tip of his nose and held it out for him to see. _

_Draco laughed nervously embarrassed. "Whoops. So much for being suave and debonair on this date." He smiled at her, a genuine smile not a smirk. _

"_This was a date?" Ginny asked raising her eyebrows. _

"_Well no, but you know what I mean." By this time Draco was ready to melt into the floor. Here he was sitting with the first girl he had ever been interested in as more than a fuck buddy and he was making a complete fool of himself. He felt like he was blushing so hard that his pale skin might actually have been tinged pink. _

"_That's too bad." Ginny replied as she placed her small hand over his larger one on the table. "I really wouldn't mind if it was a date." _

_They smiled at each other and continued their late night snack. _

_An hour or so later the pair walked side by side back to the Entrance Hall. They paused when they reached the top of the stairway, just before they had to part ways, and looked at each other. _

_Suddenly Ginny leaned forward and kissed Draco on the cheek. She whispered "Good night." And turned and disappeared into the shadows._

* * *

"Draco?"

His grandfather's voice jerked him back to the present.

"Hmm?" his eyes focused on the two people before him both of whom were already seated inside the office.

"Well we were just wondering if you wanted to come in and join us for this meeting since I am very sure you have at least some interest in what is going to be said."

"Of course grandfather, it would be my pleasure." He stepped inside the office and closed the door, completely embarrassed at being caught in his own little world but not letting any of it show.

* * *

At 6:50 on the dot the trio emerged from the office with all the details discussed and contracts signed.

In the end it was decided that Ginny would be paid a total of one million galleons, twenty five thousand quarterly, to be married to Draco exactly one year and one month before a divorce could be planned. In addition to her salary Ginny would also have at her disposal all the resources that a true Malfoy had at theirs including a tab and a monthly spending allowance. In return Ginny had to keep up all the correct appearances and attend all the functions that it was expected the Malfoys would attend unless of course there was some interference at the hospital.

Overall the meeting was a success; all that was left to do was pick a wedding day. That was for another day though, now all they needed to worry about was what was being served for dinner.

Upon entering the dining room Ginny was again breathless at the beauty of the room. The dining room was a bright coral pink color with ornate white and gold crown molding. The walls were decorated with a large assortment of art work and mirrors all in gold frames. Hanging from the ceiling was a magnificent three tear crystal chandelier with at least a hundred glittering candles that provided the light for the room. The main feature in the room though was the massive table that took up two thirds of the room. It was made of rose wood with a beautiful swirling inlay of a light oak. It had to seat at least thirty.

Tonight though it appeared as if only four would eat for that was how many settings there were. There was the three of them and then a fourth woman who was already seated at one of the two seats at the head of the table.

As they neared the head the woman rose and walked over to them.

She was absolutely beautiful. She had big blue eyes and silver hair that was pulled back into an elegant bun at the back of her neck and was a few inches taller than Ginny with a willowy build. Her face though wrinkled with the years was still perfect and full of life with a mischievous twist to her lips. This had to be Draco's grandmother.

"Hello loves." She said in a musical voice as both Abraxas and Draco both obediently bent over to kiss her on the cheek. "And you must be Ms. Weasley." She concluded as she turned to Ginny.

"Yes ma'am." Ginny replied dutifully.

"Oh no! What is this ma'am stuff? Please call me Salvia, after all you will be family in a few short weeks." She walked over to Ginny and pulled her into a hug which she was all to glad to return.

When they were finished she linked her arm through Ginny's and led her to the seat next to the one she had previously occupied. "Lucius and Cissa send their best regards and regret they could join us but someone had to go to the bloody ministry fund raiser. I'm just glad it's not me." She laughed.

"Here here!" Abraxas agreed as he sat down on the other side of Salvia and Draco took the seat opposite Ginny. "I'm sure they'll be here next time."

As soon as everyone was settled four houseelves appeared and set the first course in front of them commencing dinner.

"So loves, did we get everything settled?"

"Yes grandmother we did; everything but a wedding date." Draco answered her grimacing slightly at the thought.

"Well that's fantastic. I just cannot wait to have a granddaughter! So Ginny tell me about yourself."

And so the meal continued.

* * *

"So I suppose we had better come up with some kind of back story first." Ginny said as she sat at the long table in the Malfoy dining room across from Draco.

The elder Malfoys had already retired to the drawing room leaving Ginny and Draco to duke it out at the dining table. Abraxas hoped that if they attempted to kill each other now they would get it out of their systems and they might actually be able to get somewhere in the next few months. He then devised a plan to force them to come up with the method of how they would reveal their engagement to the world and he and his wife quickly left the room with a whispered warning to the houseelves to make sure Draco and Ginny didn't get any blood on the antique furniture.

"Hmmm… how bout we met at a club and that led to a one night stand which we decided not to end." Draco said. He was sitting in his chair with his head down on the table face first and his hands running through his bright blond hair.

Ginny snorted, "Dream on." She took a piece of the bread she had been fiddling with and tossed it so it bounced off his head.

"Hey," he said and lifted his head up to give her and incredulous look. "It's just as plausible as what you could have come up with. We met at a charity ball and you were dressed in white and I was smashing in a tux." He stood up as he spoke, his arms outstretched in a poor imitation of the picture he was trying to create. "Our eyes met across the room and at that moment we both knew there was no other in the world but each other. We met in the center of the dance floor and danced the night away." He twirled around in a circle and landed back in his chair with his head falling straight onto the table as if it had never left.

Ginny simply rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. She had seen Draco's melodrama before and she was still unimpressed. "Actually, you great flaming idiot, I was think something more along the lines of the truth."

Draco's head rolled to the side so he could see Ginny's face properly. "You mean tell them it's all a scam and that you're being paid to live with me?"

His sarcasm was reward by another chunk of bread binging off his forehead.

"No, stop being stupid. I mean tell the press that we secretly dated back in our Hogwarts years and lost touch because of the war. Then a few months ago we bumped into one another and the spark was instantly rekindled so we decided to give it another go but continue to keep it very hush hush and last week you asked me to marry you after dating for months and voila here we are."

"That could actually work. But what do we say about all the girls I was very publicly involved with." He asked sitting up in his chair like a normal human being.

"Well that's just it, I'm not sure if you noticed but you never really were very publicly involved with any of those whores."

"Hey!"

"Oh come on, they all were. I read Witch Weekly, you can't fool me. But back to what I was saying, if you actually look at the photographs you never ever have actually publicly kissed one or touched them inappropriately."

"Are you sure? Cause I remember touching all of them inappropriately." Draco raised one eyebrow suggestively.

Again Ginny simply rolled her eyes and continued. "That can all work in our favor. You can just claim that they were all old friends whom were more than happy to keep up appearances with you so that no one would find out about us."

"And you think these women will agree to that."

"When you threaten to ruin them or bribe them it will."

Draco was taken aback by her last statement. He never expected such debauchery to come out of the mouth of the Gryffindor Princess. Maybe some Sly had rubbed off on her all those years ago. "Well little weasel this might actually work. So who are we gonna use to interview us?"

"Actually I have an old friend who works at the Daily Prophet. Do you remember Colin Creevy?"

"Creevy's an actual reporter? Wow, all that photo stocking of me and Potter actually paid off, good for him."

Ginny smiled, "Yeah it did and he even bumped that horrid Rita Skeeter our of a job. I'll send him an owl tomorrow. When do you want to do this? Does Monday evening work for you?"

"No actually. I have a meeting that evening."

"Meeting? You?" now it was Ginny's turn to smirk in amusement.

Draco for his part was not longer amused. "Yes I do. What other evenings do you have free?"

"Wednesday?"

"That works for me. Owl me if he can make it and you should probably show up a bit before he does so we can go over the story one more time."

Now that all that was decided Ginny realized that she was absolutely exhausted, "Well I guess I had better be going home."

Draco gave her a small, albeit real, smile, "I guess this will be your home soon."

"Yeah it will." She smiled back at him before asking, "Do you think the rest of the family is still awake?"

Draco glanced up at the clock in the room. It was about quarter past eleven. "No I think they all will have turned in for the evening. But here, let me walk you to the door."

"Oh that's fine. I can find it."

"I insist and don't worry I'm not being nice I am only thinking of myself. If my mum or grandmother find out I didn't at least walk you to the door then this whole arrangement will be unnecessary because they will have my head."

Ginny giggled as she allowed him to lead her to the door.

He opened it wide and simply bid her goodnight, no insults or snide comments, just goodnight and waited until she had apperated to close the door.

Once Ginny was safely back up in her room, after many fervent promises to Hallie that she would recount the whole evening to her the next morning, she began to contemplate all the events that taken place.

On a whole the entire experience had been surreal but the part that puzzled her was not how did she end up in this situation but what had happened to Draco in those last moments of her visit. The entire evening he had been his normal smarmy self but right there at the end Ginny thought that maybe, just maybe, she caught a glimpse of the Draco that she had known, the one that she thought was lost but maybe was just hiding, afraid to be seen.

* * *

Draco closed the door behind Ginny and took a deep breath. This was going to be harder than he thought. Without realizing it he had fallen straight back into his habits of old. He was being chivalrous and polite and it was all her doing.

Without knowing it Abraxas had picked probably the one person in the whole world that brought out the best in Draco. Damn it! He had worked so hard to become the biggest pain in the ass possible and in one night she had to come in and remind him that he wasn't a complete jerk.

He decided that the best course of action was to go up to his rooms and go straight to bed. Sleep, that was all he needed to get himself back on track. He was over tired and that was why he had mistakenly been nice. If he were more rested than that bloody little witch wouldn't have been able to break his concentration with her pretty smile and fantastic arse.

When he finally reached his quarters and had entered he started to peel off layers of clothing so that by the time he had reached the large green bed he was down to just his Slytherin green boxers. He collapsed on the bed and buried himself under the covers. With a quick Knox all the light in the room vanished.

Unfortunately for him though, the dark that he thought would bring him rejuvenating sleep instead only made it easier for his mind to dwell on the evening. Even worse than that it allowed all the memories that he had worked so hard to keep at bay to come flooding back to him. Laying there in his bed he braced himself for the pain he would feel at the past resurfacing but was surprised to find that none came. Instead he felt a strange feeling deep in his chest that felt bizarrely like hope.

* * *

Hey Loves!

So yeah it's been a while but here is a REALLY long chapter. I hope everyone enjoys it.

Please Review!

3 Care


	8. Meetings

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 8: Meetings

_

* * *

_

Malfoy,

_I owled Colin. He was more than a little enthusiastic. I told him to be at the manor at six on Wednesday night. I will be there at five thirty and you better be there too!_

_Weasley_

_

* * *

_

Weasel,

_Fine. _

_Malfoy_

_

* * *

_

Real Mature Ferret

* * *

"Well guys I think that about wraps it all up." Colin said beaming as he sat across from Ginny and Malfoy in one of the sitting rooms at Malfoy Manor. "I think I've got all I need."

It was Wednesday evening and the desired interview with Ginny's old friend Colin Creevy, star reporter of the Daily Prophet, was coming to a close after two hours of conversation. The interview had gone very well. Colin of course had jumped at the opportunity to interview two of England's most well known faces; especially when he heard a small tidbit of the story they had to tell. He was so excited, in fact, that it didn't take him 15 minutes to enthusiastically reply to Ginny's owl.

Ginny had arrived early just as she and Draco had decided earlier in the week. They quickly went over some basic facts that they figured would be asked and then bickered some over how they would sit and how much affection they should show towards each other.

Colin arrived exactly on time his trademark dirty blond hair, big smile and camera all in tow. They all had immediately sat down in the yellow sitting room and had begun the interview.

"Thank you so much Colin." Ginny said sliding forward in her seat out of Draco's light embrace. "We really appreciate being able to tell our story to an honest, understanding journalist rather than someone who is going to twist the events and try and make us look bad."

"Oh Gin, I completely understand. So often big stories like this get convoluted because of reporters and now that I've heard your story I am going to do my very best to get it right and make no mistake, this story is going to be absolutely huge."

"Why would you say that?" Draco asked casually trying to appear conversational even though he already knew the answer.

"Oh just because of who you two are. There is the classic Weasley-Malfoy feud for starters but even more than that both you and Gin are famous on your own for very different reasons. You both sell papers and magazines when you are the main story so I think a story about you two together is going to fly off the stands."

"If you say so." Ginny giggled and blushed.

"Well I had better be going." Colin said.

"Oh won't you join us for dinner?" Draco inquired. Actually that was the last thing in the world he wanted at that moment but it sounded hospitable and he was supposed to be cultivating a new image.

"Thank you very much for the offer but I would very much like to get started on this article and if I'm late for dinner one more time this week I think my boyfriend might kill me." He grinned.

"Oh poor Andrew, fell in love with a workaholic." Ginny said.

"I think I know how the bloke feels!" Draco said standing up behind her and causally wrapped an arm around her waist. He was getting very good at this already.

They both walked Colin to the door and bid him goodbye with a promise from him that they would be the first to see and approve the article.

As Draco closed the door he turned to Ginny and smirked. "Why Ms. Weasley I do believe that we have pulled off our first brilliant performance."

Ginny had no choice but to laugh. "Yeah I think we might have. Colin did seem to like our little tale."

"Oh please, he ate it up." Draco smirked. "So what now?"

"Now we tell my family."

Draco grimaced. "I don't think that that particular conversation needs my presence."

"Oh very good try Ferret Boy" she said poking him hard in the middle of his large broad chest. "But there is not a chance in hell that I am going by myself. You are coming too." She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of parchment and a muggle pen. "You'd better be at this address," she said as she shoved the parchment at him. "At 8 AM on Saturday morning. Family breakfast starts at 9."

Then Ginny turned on her heel and marched out the front door to apperate home.

* * *

Ginny pressed her wand tip to the lock on her front door and let the door swing open. "Hal," she called out into the flat. "I'm home. Where are you?"

"In my room, come on in."

Ginny disposed of her coat and shoes at the front door before padding softly down the hallway past her own doorway and the bathroom to Hallie's bedroom. She stepped inside the doorway into the bright blue room and flopped down on Hallie's soft blue bedspread.

"What a night." Ginny said flinging a pillow over her face.

Hallie sat in a chair at her desk with a black box in front of her. She twisted sideways to gaze amused at her friend. "So how did it go?"

"Not bad." Ginny said sliding the pillow down so she could see her roommate. "Everyone was well behaved and Colin absolutely loved the story we fed him. I couldn't believe how easy it was to pretend I was in love with Draco again. He seemed every bit the attentive fiancé and I giggled like I was in love. Colin seemed none the wiser. He even agreed to let us approve the article before it runs without us asking."

"That's fantastic. So when where you in love with Malfoy?"

"What are you talking about Crazy? I'm not in love with Malfoy."

"Well that is obvious but you said you were pretending to be in love with him _again._ In order to be in love with someone again you had to be in love with him a first time. So I'll ask again, when were you in love with him exactly?"

Ginny sighed. She had not actually wanted to tell Hallie this story. Of all her good friends only Luna knew the true details of her relationship with Draco and she had really wanted to keep it that way but Hallie was her best friend so she supposed she had better tell her the story or at least part of it. Actually it would probably make her life a bit easier because then she wouldn't have to worry about slipping up and revealing something about her old relationship with Draco. "Ok."

_

* * *

_

Ginny walked along the corridor that lead away from the Transfiguration Classroom. She was alone as she moved along because classes had let out nearly fifteen minutes earlier and all of her own classmates, and not to mention the students for every other year, had long ago headed eagerly down to the Great Hall for lunch.

_Ginny had stayed in the classroom to ask Professor McGonagall a question about the latest essay that was due for her class next week and had assured all her friends that she would catch up with them in the Great Hall in a bit. _

_But now that her conversation was complete she found that she was in no hurry to reach her meal and so she took her time winding through the long halls. As she walked her thoughts flitted away from her essay to a much more interesting topic that seemed to be occupying her thoughts quite a lot as of late, Draco Malfoy. _

_It had been three weeks since their little kitchen caper and for some reason ever since that night Ginny had been running into the bugger more and more. Not that she entirely minded though, actually the more she saw him the more she wanted to spend time with him. And spend time with him she did. _

_It seemed as though any time Ginny had been alone in recent weeks somehow Malfoy found her and swept her away to some abandoned classroom where they would talk and joke or even just do their homework together. They were actually becoming something like friends and Ginny was really enjoying it. The only thing that she was slightly disappointed about was the lack of touching. She had thought that maybe after their late night encounter where she had dropped some not so subtle hints he would have at least tried something but every time they were together he was nothing but a perfect gentleman, much to her annoyance. This led her to believe that her little fantasies about Malfoy that she had joked about with her friends would sadly never come true. _

_This was the topic that kept Ginny completely lost in thought as she made her way through the castle so when a deep sensual voice called out "Going somewhere Red?" to get her attention she was startled almost to the point of screaming. _

_

* * *

_

Draco couldn't help smirking as he watched his favorite little redhead nearly jump out of her skin as he roused her from her thoughts. He was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed right next to a suit of armor waiting for Red. When she hadn't shown up ten minutes into lunch he had decided to go looking for her and he had known exactly which class she was in and therefore which route she would take.

_Draco wasn't afraid to admit to himself that he was becoming more than a little bit obsessed with Ginny Weasley. He found her spirit, her drive and even her temper absolutely intriguing, something that not many of the girls he knew seemed to be. Not to mention that she was the only person he had ever met that had never shown one ounce of fear towards him. _

_He began to laugh as she flushed a bright shade of pink and spun to look at him. There was murder in her eyes. She marched over to where he stood and punched him hard in the stomach. He was surprised when some of the air left his body not that it at all curbed his mirth. She packed quite a punch. _

_Ginny wound up to hit him again. Well that wouldn't do. Draco reached out and pulled her tiny form flush against his body trapping both her arms between them. _

"_Hello." He said. _

_Ginny said nothing only attempting to blow stray hair out of her eyes while continuing to look disgruntled. _

_He shook her a little bit to see if that might loosen her up. "Red?" _

"_What? What do you want Malfoy?" she was having a hard time keeping a straight face with him grinning down at her like a Cheshire cat._

"_I came to visit you and that is the kind of greeting I get?"_

"_Well I might have been tempted to be nicer had you not scared the crap out of me!"_

"_Who me?" he did his best to look innocent. "I wasn't trying to do that. I was just trying to bring you back down to earth." _

"_Mhm, sure." She still looked at him skeptically although he could tell that her anger was subsiding. _

"_Would you forgive me if I apologized?" Wait, he thought to himself what the hell did I just say?_

_Her eyebrows shot up so high they were nearly in her hair line. "A Malfoy apologize? I don't think it's possible."_

"_No it is." He smirked. _

"_I'll believe it when I see it."_

_Well her doubt in his ability was more than enough to justify in his mind what he was about to do. Draco leaned his head down so close to hers that their foreheads were just barely touching. "I'm sorry for scaring you Red."_

_Draco could feel Ginny's breathing was becoming shallower, quicker, as if she was frightened of his proximity to her. Ginny Weasley finally appeared to be frightened of him, another first for the afternoon._

_They were so close he could feel her breath on his face. Their eyes were locked, both staring in anticipation of what could happen in those next moments. All he would have to do was tilt his head._

_Draco Malfoy stood in an abandoned hallway in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, leaning against a wall casually while holding tight to Ginny Weasley. Standing forehead to forehead Draco shifted his head slightly and captured Ginny soft perfect lips for his own. _

_When his lips touched hers Ginny was still for just a moment from the shock then she began to move her arms trying with all her might to get them free of the confines of their bodies. She seemed to be pushing him away. _

_Draco registered this with definite disappointment in his slightly fuzzy brain. Obviously he had made a huge mistake. He had taken things way to fast and now had probably scared her away. Damn. He released her body and her lips and waited for her to step away from him but it never happened._

_Once free of her confines Ginny did nothing but let out a little noise of absolute triumph before flinging her now liberated arms around Draco's neck and spearing her fingers into his hair as she once again sought out his lips. _

_Draco was all too happy to oblige her and soon the pair was happily locked in an all out snog fest. _

_

* * *

_

A few fantastic minutes later the sound of students coming up the stairs broke the pair apart. They looked at each other unsure of what to do.

_Suddenly Ginny had an idea. She grinned at Draco and held out her hand. "Come on."_

_He stared at her hand for a moment before nodding once and taking her it. _

_They broke out into a run with Ginny in the lead. Eventually they reached a dead end that signified the very end of the third floor corridor. The only thing in front of them was a grotesque statue of Uric the Oddball. _

"_What do we do now?" Draco asked._

_Ginny said nothing just walked up to the statue and rubbed his nose then stepped back and watched as the statue disappeared revealing a winding staircase that seemed to go up endlessly. She then grabbed his hand again and pulled onto the staircase which immediately sealed shut behind them. _

_She began to climb but he didn't follow. Leaning her head over the banister she asked "Hey, what are you doing? Come on!"_

_Draco immediately snapped out of whatever trance he was in and began to climb. "What is this place? How did you find it?"_

_Ginny giggled in response. "Being the favorite sibling of Fred and George Weasley does have it perks. They showed me all the best passages and hiding spots in the entire castle. It really comes in handy when trying to escape Flich." _

"_I can imagine."_

_Up and up they climbed until they reached a spot on the wall that hand the number 7 painted onto it in gold. _

"_Here we are." Ginny commented as she tapped the number with her wand. They both stepped out of the staircase and she immediately began to pull him along again until they came to stand directly in front of a gigantic tapestry of a short man who seemed to be trying to teach a pack of trolls to dance. _

_Draco looked back and forth between the tapestry and Ginny who was currently pacing. "What in the bloody hell is going on?"_

_Suddenly a door appeared where the wall had just been. Ginny grasped the door handle, opened the door and gave Draco a little tug. "In you go."_

_He stepped inside and surveyed the room. The interior was completely bare just four grey stone walls with one window on the southern facing wall. The only splash of color in the room was a massive bright red couch. _

"_Ok Red, where are we?"_

_Ginny appeared from behind him and walked confidently over to the couch. Flopping down on it she said, "This is what has been called the Room of Requirement. It becomes whatever the seeker needs it to be."_

"_And you needed a room with a couch?"_

"_Mhm, unless you prefer to snog on the ground." She looked up at him smirking._

"_No this is fine with me." He walked over to the couch and lay down beside her. For a minute he just looked at her._

"_What?" Ginny asked nervously. His starring at her made her more than a little uncomfortable._

_Draco smiled softly at her and picked up a stray curl. He stared at it and then tucked it softly behind her ear but he didn't retract his hand. Instead he left it resting on her pale cheek, cupping it softly. "You are so beautiful."_

_Ginny's eyes widened in surprise as she flushed bright pink. She said nothing in response, unsure of how to respond to such a statement. _

_Draco just laughed at her reaction. He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the forehead. "And not to mention adorable." He ran his thumb across her cheekbone and tilted her head up slightly to capture her lips once again. _

_Ginny was ecstatic. The feel of his lips on hers, his hands on her body, hers on his, this was perfect, exactly how she always thought kissing Malfoy would be. Kissing him was better than any of the other boys she had ever kissed put together. Everything about him was mysterious, exotic and thrilling and above all forbidden. It was just how she had always imagined it would be when she had fantasized about him._

_Bloody hell what would Harry and Ron say if they could see her now tightly and quite contentedly locking lips with their archenemy. She had to smirk at the thought of it._

_Draco broke the kiss when he felt Ginny smirk. "What are you so happy about?" _

_She smiled down at him. Somehow in the course of their feverish kissing Ginny had shifted from laying beside Draco to laying on top of him, her body stretched out along his. _

"_Happy about this finally happening, smirking about the thought of Ron and Harry seeing this."_

_He made a face at her statement. "Well that pretty much killed the mood." _

"_Oh really?" Ginny asked leaning down and giving him one lingering kiss._

"_Well maybe not entirely." He smirked tightening his grip in her waist. _

_She laughed. _

"_You know what would really piss them off if they knew, as long as we're on the subject of dumb and dumber?" Draco asked coyly. _

"_What?"_

"_If you went to Hogsmeade with me on this weekend's trip."_

"_Are you asking me out Malfoy?" She hadn't expected that. _

"_Are you saying yes Red?"_

"_Yes! I would really like that." she smiled at him brightly and he awarded her with a big genuine smile back. _

_Then Ginny's smile faltered. "Oh no! I can't go with you this weekend; I already promised Luna that she and I would go shopping together! Oh Fuck!"_

_Draco chuckled at her outburst. He had never seen Red curse before, it was amusing. "I think I have a solution. What if you brought Lovegood and I brought Blaise _

_Ginny snorted. "Yeah that would work. Luna and Zabini hate each other. He verbally tortures her almost as badly as you used to do to me."_

"_And look where we ended up." He raised his head off the couch to give her a short peck on the lips. "Besides, it would be a good cover anyway. We won't be going to Hogsmeade alone, we'll be going with our best friends."_

"_That is true. Do you think you can get Blaise to do it? And force him to be nice to Luna? I won't even consider bringing her if he's just going to harp on her all day."_

"_Blaise owes me for a multitude of things, he'll do it and I'll threaten him to make him be nice."_

_Ginny smiled down at him. "Alright let's do it!" She kissed him once more before pushing herself off the couch and began to fix her rumpled appearance._

_Draco leaned up on his elbows. "Where you going?"_

"_Malfoy, we missed all our afternoon classes. It's nearly dinner. If I miss a second meal Ron will organize a search party."_

_Draco flopped back down on to his back and let out a tortured sigh. "Fine." He rose as well and collected his things. _

"_Alright I'll go out first then you follow in a few minutes."_

"_Whatever you say madam." He smiled at her._

"_Okay… well, bye Malfoy." Ginny walked across the room to the door but just as her hand reached the handle he called out to her to wait._

_Draco crossed the room in less than a second and scooped the little redhead up into his arms. He gave her one perfect searing kiss then released her. "Bye Ginny."_

_Ginny just stood there slightly dazed by the intensity of his kiss. After a moment she shook herself out of the trance and turned once again to leave. _

"_Oh and Ginny, one more thing,"_

_She spun around to look at him standing there in all his perfection. His white shirt was un-tucked, his black trousers hung low on his hips, his blond hair was rumpled and his grey eyes seared into her own. "Yeah?"_

_Draco's lips twitched into a little smile. "Call me Draco."_

* * *

"What happened then?" Hallie practically squealed in anticipation. Hallie had become completely sucked in by the story of young love that Ginny had been spinning for over an hour. She had moved from the chair to the bed and was lying with her head resting in Ginny's lap so Ginny could play with her blond locks as she spoke.

"Then I just smiled at him and left. I was completely serious about Ron and his search party." Ginny said.

Hallie sat up and faced Ginny. "What do you mean you left? With him standing there smirking sexily and looking fabulous you just left? What happened to the sex? The throws of passion? He just delivered a fantastic come hither line, why didn't you go hither?"

Ginny could do nothing but burst out laughing. "Only you would consider that a come hither line."

"No I'm not. He's so hot; you should have tapped that while you had the chance!"

"I never said we didn't have sex, I just said we didn't have sex just then." Ginny said still trying to catch her breath.

Upon hearing that Hallie practically lunged at her. "You shagged Draco Malfoy and never told me! When? Where? What was it like?"

"Hal calm down! I've shagged him dozens of times. We were together for a while."

"Lucky bitch."

Ginny shook her head. "You have seen a handful of pictures of him, why the sudden obsession? You didn't even know who he was three weeks ago. I've known him for years, he's not that exciting."

"He is fucking gorgeous. That is a fact. How long were you all together anyway?"

"By who's count?"

"There's a difference?"

Ginny nodded. "By his count 15 months, by mine 18 months."

"What happened?"

"Oh Hal, that is a story for another night. We both have work in the morning."

Hallie sighed in defeat. "Fine but you better tell me some more tomorrow. I wanna hear about your first date."

"Alright love." Ginny rose from the bed and kissed Hallie on the forehead. "Night."

"Night." Hallie responded as Ginny walked out the door and down the hallway to her room.

* * *

Draco stood outside the large flat building in the middle of wizarding London. So this was where the Little Weasel lived.

The building was probably ten stories high with several balconies on ever floor. Not too bad he begrudgingly admitted to himself.

He became even more impressed when he walked into the lobby and was surrounded by a type of splendor that he even he could stand. He walked over to the apperating pad and apperated himself up to the seventh floor.

Once there he headed down the hallway to the left to flat 7A at the very end of the hall. He took a deep breath before lightly knocking on the door.

There was a loud thump from behind the door before he heard the lock click and the door creak open. A pair of big blue eyes caught Draco's attention.

"Oh," the eyes said and door swung open all the way. "It's you! Come in, come in."

Draco was taken aback at the greeting. He felt compelled to do as the woman said and stepped inside the door which was quickly swung shut behind him. Once he had regained his senses Draco was able to take in the woman standing in front of him.

She was a tall beautiful woman with shoulder length blond hair and of course the bright blue eyes he had first noticed. She was dressed in a pair of knee length khaki shorts and a light blue long sleeve t-shirt, her blond hair had several of the long strands twisted elegantly into an intricate knot with the rest of it hanging down in light waves.

"Who are you?" he asked.

She let out a clear laugh. If he had been allowed, Draco would have been highly attracted to her.

"I'm Ginny's roommate." She said in a distinctly American accent. "My name is Hallie Weschester."

"Oh…I'm Draco…" Draco began.

"I know who you are. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Umm… yes thank you." This woman talked a mile a minute. It was rather daunting.

She flitted away from him into the flat. He followed cautiously taking off his coat as he left the entrance way. He surveyed the flat. It was nice. The whole flat was decorated in bright colors with interesting modern furniture. It seemed like exactly the sort of place Ginny Weasley would live.

Hallie reappeared with a purple mug in her hand. She handed it to Draco. "So I don't think your dearly beloved has actually awoken as of yet. Just a little tip for you, if you ever need her up at a specific time buy three alarm clocks and put them on different sides of the room. That girl has serious issues waking up."

Draco raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of his coffee. "I'm assuming you know the true nature of our engagement correct?" he figured as Ginny's roommate at least she should know the truth even if Ginny didn't feel the need to tell her.

"Yeah, of course." Hallie assured him. "I'm just sayin, I've lived with her for two years and now I turn her over to you. It's just a good piece of advice."

Draco gave a little chuckle. "Dually noted. So when do you think that her highness will grace us with her presence?"

Hallie smiled and then said "I'll go and see if I can rouse her." Then she turned and walked down the hallway that he assumed led to the bedrooms.

Draco sat there for a minute sipping his coffee before he heard a loud "WHAT?!"

Draco smirked and brought his mug to his lips. Ginny must be awake.

* * *

"Gin," Hallie said as she opened her roommate's bedroom door and flipped on the light. "Gin babe, you've got to get up." Hallie surveyed the room to find the remains of yet another poor helpless alarm clock.

Ginny did nothing but pull her duvet over her head.

"Ginny, Malfoy is already here."

Ginny sat straight up. "WHAT?!" she sprang out of bed and began running around like a mad woman trying to find everything she needed for the day. "When did he get here? Does he know I'm not awake? How smug did he look when you saw him?"

Hallie began to snicker at her friend's antics. "Gin calm down. He's only been here for five minutes, yes he knows you weren't awake and he didn't look all that smug to me."

"OF COURSE HE'S SMUG! He's always smug! He's been smug since the very first time he called me a Weasel! I hate the bloody bastard! What the hell am I doing marrying him?" Ginny had ceased her movement and was now just standing in the middle of her room in the middle of a full on break down.

"Ginny!" Hallie grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her a bit. "Snap out of it babe! Shit this guy has really gotten under your skin hasn't he?"

Ginny ran her fingers through her mane of ginger curls looking utterly helpless. "Yes he has. He has been under my skin, in my skin and on my skin since the first time I kissed him and I can't seem to get rid of him no matter what I do. What should I do Hallie?"

"Well right now you are going to get dressed and then the three of us are going to go to Saturday Family Breakfast like we planned to tell your parents of your engagement agreement, then you're gonna get married, and after that we'll just have to see. Now," she said as she picked up a pair of black skinny jeans that were on the floor. "Take these and that purple v-neck tee in your hands and get changed then come to the bathroom and we will fix that godforsaken creature on your head." With that she turned and walked out of the room.

Hallie heard Ginny jump back into freak out mode as she sauntered back out to the kitchen to check on Draco who had seated himself at the dining room table. "Hello again."

"Hey." He said casually smirking. "I heard you rouse the beast."

"Yep. I came down here to get it a cup of liquid caffeine before it tries to eat someone."

They both laughed.

"You need a refresher?"

"I'm fine thank you. Will my _fiancé_ be ready sometime in the next millennium?"

Just then a bright red whirlwind breezed through the dining room and smacked Draco on the back of the head before grabbing the coffee mug out of Hallie's hands and breezing right back down the hall.

"Well that was fun." Draco sneered.

Hallie had to choke back a giggle. "I'm gonna go fix that."

Twenty minutes later both women reemerged from the back both looking pristine.

Draco was a little confused by the tightening in his chest that occurred and he was more than a bit annoyed at the slight tightening in his pants when he saw Ginny. She was wearing a pair of black jeans that were far too tight for his own good. Her shirt was a deep royal purple with three quarter length sleeves and a very, very deep v-neck. Her normally tight curls were calmed into soft ringlets that framed her soft round face. This woman was going to be the death of him.

"Ready _darling_?" the bloody little minx asked.

"I have been for half an hour _dear_." He rose and followed the two women to the front door to grab their coats. Then they all stepped out the door and headed down to the apperating pad.

* * *

Good god, they keep getting longer and longer! Please don't use this chapter as a measure of what the norm is gonna be! Lol

So Thanks SOOOO much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! As always I love knowing what you all think so keep it up please!!!!!

Just a little warning for the next chapter, it might be a little while before it comes out. I am headed to college in just a few days and I don't really think I will have muc time to write while I'm getting settled in! but I will be back!!!! So please just bear with me!!!!

Love you all!!!!!

Care


	9. Introducing Mr and Mrs Malfoy

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 9: Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy

Ginny, Draco and Hallie all proceeded to apperate to the edge of the Weasley property. They walked up the gravel walkway up to the door with Draco following reluctantly behind the girls.

"You ready for this?" Ginny asked turning to Draco with her hand resting lightly on the door knob, poised to twist and allow the trio entrance. She did her best to hide the hint of a smile that fought to cross her face. Malfoy truly looked ill.

"No." He muttered.

"Good." She tuned the handle, swung open the door and stepped inside not looking back.

Draco felt sick. Hallie gave him a big smile before tugging on the cuff of his sleeve and motioning for him to follow his fiancé into the house.

"Go on, they don't bite." She said reassuringly.

"That's what you think." He mumbled before slowing venturing across the threshold.

The scene that greeted him was possibly the most intimidating sight he had ever experienced before. Sitting scattered around the cramped room was every single Weasley male and their families plus the great Harry Potter with a pretty black woman perched on his lap. Standing front and center at the head of the brood was Ginny smirking up at him.

"Come on." She said sweetly. It had to be fake.

The room was completely silent. Every single pair of eyes was focused entirely on him.

"What is he doing here?" Ron asked breaking the silence with a look of utter shock on his big dumb face.

"Well hello to you too, Ronald." Ginny said in a sarcastic exasperated tone that Draco had become all too familiar with over the years. It usually meant someone was going to very soon get hexed and it was never pretty when that happened.

Mrs. Weasley seemed to recognize the same thing that Draco did because she quickly stood up and waddled over to Ginny's side. "Ginny love, you're here!" she embraced her daughter before turning to Draco. "And you've brought a guest."

"Yes mum I have." the fiery little red head stepped away from her mother and turned to face the whole group. "Everyone,"

Draco blanched. She was going to do it now. No ice breakers, no brief disclaimers or explanations, she was just going to come straight out with it and tell them. Oh gods!

"Malfoy and I are getting married."

Yep, there she goes. Draco quickly scanned the room for places to seek shelter for when all the males in the room would begin to try and curse him.

A complete silence fell over the Burrow, a feat that had never in the twenty years Ginny had been alive had ever been accomplished.

"Come again?" Molly Weasley asked after a few moments.

Ginny just shook her head and chuckled. She loved this. Shocking her family had always been a favorite secret pastime of hers. They just never expected announcements like this one out of Ginny.

"Don't look so appalled all of you! It's only a business arrangement. His grandfather hired me for the next thirteen months. I'm marrying Malfoy for a year to try and help clean up his bad-boy image. Relax!"

"You are getting paid to enter into an arranged marriage with the great bouncing ferret?" Harry asked in clarification.

Draco resented that. Why was that the only thing that these damn Gryffindor managed to remember in the seven bloody years that they had been in school together? Well if they were going to take cheap shots then he could play that game too. "Actually Potter," he said putting on his trademark smirk and stepping closer to Ginny. "She's getting paid to act like she is in love with me." He put a hand around Ginny's waist to pull her small body closer to his, relishing in the way every male in the room tensed as if ready to pounce. He then turned to Molly and said very cordially, "Thank you so much for allowing me into your home Mrs. Weasley, even if my presence did come as a bit of a shock."

"Oh!" she said as she flushed, a bit surprised with how polite the young Malfoy could be. "Really Mr. Malfoy, it is our pleasure."

Mr. Weasley folded his paper and rose from his favorite chair in the corner to cross the room and join his wife and daughter. "Hello Mr. Malfoy, I am Arthur Weasley, Ginny's father." He extended his hand to Draco.

"It's very nice to meet you sir." Draco replied taking his hand and shaking it firmly.

"Well, if you all will excuse me, I need to go and finish brunch. Arthur love, will you come and help me?"

"Of course I will Molly." He replied and with that they turned and walked past all their children into the kitchen.

As soon as her mother was gone Ginny shook Malfoy off her and turned to face him. "What in the hell was that?" she asked, hand on her hips looking very much like the matriarch who had just exited the room.

"What?" Draco asked innocently. "I was just being polite."

"Yeah, sure," She smacked him as hard as she could in the chest which only made him chuckle at her reaction. She then turned to her brothers. "And you all! Relax all of you! He has not cast a spell or curse on me, I am not being blackmailed, and there is no secret affair that we are using this as cover for. It really is a business arrangement so whatever stupid idea you have come up with give it up. You are wrong!"

"How in the bloody hell are we supposed to do that?" George asked. "You just announced that our only baby sister is getting hitched to Satan's spawn."

Hallie snickered, finally making her presence known. "Wow guys, you all are being really melodramatic about this." She crossed the room and plopped down on the floor in front of Allison and Harry, using their knees as a back rest. "I highly doubt that Draco is Satan's spawn."

"You don't know him Hal." Ron said between clenched teeth.

"And you do?" Ginny asked much to the surprise of everyone present including Draco. He had not expected her to defend him against her own family.

"Gin," Ron said slowly. "Think about what his family has done to ours, to you."

"Ronald," Ginny said, her eyes flashing with fury. "I am perfectly aware of what I have been through but Draco had nothing to do with did he? If you ever presume to remind me of the horrors that I experienced you will be severely sorry."

"Geez Gin! Calm down I was just trying to…"

"Don't." she cut him with an air of finality that silenced him completely.

The room fell quiet again, the air thick with tension.

Draco couldn't stand it. He had to break the uncomfortable silence. "Well," he began. "As much as I do so enjoy listening to people talk about me right in front of me the conversation has turned a bit sour. Ginny, why don't you introduce me to the rest of your brothers and their wives before the Scar-head and his idiot sidekick try and jump me?"

Ginny couldn't help but laugh. She relaxed and turned to look at Draco. His normally mysterious silver eyes were dancing with laughter. Just as she had thought, Draco's favorite way of diffusing a situation, sarcasm and a little bit of self centered arrogance, more of her old Draco showing up in the new one.

She smiled at him in thanks and took his hand. "Yeah, sure come on."

She quickly circled the room and completed formal introductions to her oldest brothers he didn't know, their wives and the wives and girlfriends of the brothers he was all too familiar with. Besides the incredibly dirty looks Draco kept receiving from Ron, Harry and the twins introductions went smoothly. By the time all that was over Molly and Arthur had reemerged to announce that the food was ready.

The whole gang filed into the relatively small dining room that was highly familiar with enlargement spells. An hour later the meal was consumed and Draco, Ginny and Hallie were ready to leave.

It had all gone relatively well. The boys were all rather tense but the girls had managed to keep the conversation light and so nothing terribly exciting took place. After the food though Ginny was ready to get them out of there as soon as possible just in case her brothers decided that being on their best behavior really was too much for them to handle.

The three said their goodbyes and quickly headed to the apperating point where they parted ways. The girls went back to their apartment and Draco back to the manor. Everyone chalked the morning up to a success.

* * *

Ginny and Hallie got into the elevator to head back up to their flat.

Hallie shifted from one foot to the other as she stood beside her friend. She had a question for the petit redhead but wasn't sure how it would go over if she decided to actually ask it.

"Ok Hal what is it?" Ginny turned to face her.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you so antsy?"

"What do you mean?" she tried in vain to look as innocent as possible. It was pointless though, she had been caught.

Ginny just looked at her with one eyebrow raised. She knew that her best friend was wondering about something and it was killing her not to ask.

Hallie looked around nervously and was about to speak as the elevator doors opened. "Let's go to the apartment first."

The pair walked down the corridor and Ginny pressed her wand tip to the lock and muttered the password. The door had barely swung closed behind them when Ginny had spun around to face Hallie. "Spill."

"It's nothing. I just had a thought that led to a question this morning but I don't know how you'll react to it."

"Just ask me."

"Well I noticed when we were eating that you had reached up to fiddle with your necklace like you always do but there was nothing there because you had taken it off which is weird because you always wear it. Then I started thinking about it and realized that you hadn't been wearing it since the whole Draco/marriage thing happened so…" she trailed off and smiled sheepishly at Ginny.

"So you were wondering if Draco was the one who had given it to me." Ginny sighed in resignation. Why did her damn friends have to be so observant?

Hallie nodded.

"Yeah he did." She answered simply before she slipped her coat and turned to hang it in the coat closet.

"And…?" Hallie asked indignantly.

Ginny leaned against the wall. Here she goes again dredging up the past. "If I don't tell you will you just drop it?"

"Nope."

"Ugh! Alright come on lets go sit down."

Hallie squealed in delight and tossed her coat in the closet. She dashed into the living room and plopped onto the couch. "Yay story time!"

Ginny followed reluctantly and sat in the chair. She took a deep breath and paused for a minute to collect her thoughts. "Well I guess I'll just begin where I left off last time. So after our perfect afternoon together I did as I said and hurried down to dinner to avoid being harassed by Ron…."

_

* * *

_

Ginny sprinted through the hallways of Hogwarts, winding her way through the castle to finally reach the Great Hall. She paused just outside the massive doors to take a deep breath and mutter a quick spell to check and fix any issues in her appearance.

_When she was sure everything was in place she walked into the hall and over to the Gryffindor table. _

_Sitting down next to Allison her friend looked at her eyebrows raised in questioning. "Where have you been all day missy?" _

"_I had a terrible migraine. I went to Madame Pomfrey to get a draught then spent the afternoon sleeping it off in the Room of Requirement."_

"_Oh, well you might want to go tell Ron that before his head explodes. He has been freaking out all afternoon."_

"_I could," Ginny said. "But I'd much rather make him sweat it out. He hasn't quite reached my favorite shade of puce quite yet."_

_Allison just shrugged, "Your choice." She turned back to her meal and dropped the subject. _

_Relieved, Ginny began to fill her plate, completely starving after all the strenuous activities of the afternoon combined with the fact that she had skipped lunch. She was dishing a huge scoop of chicken and rice onto her plate when movement at the entrance caught her eye. _

_

* * *

_

Draco sauntered through the doors to the Great Hall and casually walked over to sit next to Blaise.

"_Where have you been?" his best friend asked with his knife pointed in Draco's direction._

_Draco chuckled. "Calm yourself mate. You will find out all in due time." _

"_You went MIA and I covered for your arse all afternoon so you will tell me what is going on."_

"_I was snogging Ginny Weasley."_

_Blaise started to laugh out loud which gained him many strange looks from the surrounding tables. Slytherins laughing tend to make the other houses nervous, even if it was only Blaise. _

_Blaise was the most socially acceptable of all the Slytherins. He was laid back and easy going, nice to pretty much everyone he met. Not a typical Slytherin, he preferred helping first years to torturing them. He enjoyed laughing and interacting with all his classmates and was generally liked by everyone who met him. The only thing that most people didn't like about Blaise was his friendship with Draco. _

_Draco was slightly annoyed by Blaise's reaction to his announcement. "You look like a bloody fool you know."_

"_Well that was funny what else was I supposed to do?"_

"_It wasn't a joke."_

"_Sure it wasn't mate. You really expect me to believe that you spent all afternoon cooped with the Little Weasel." _

"_Yep, on a big red couch in the Room of Requirement. I also have a date with her this weekend. We are going to Hogsmeade together. And guess what? You are coming with me as my cover so no one asks why I'm going to Hogsmeade alone. What's even better than that is that I got you a date too."Draco informed his best friend of these plans with a completely straight face._

"_You're kidding right?" Blaise was dumbfounded. Draco could be a complete wanker and make up a story like this but something in his face told Blaise that he was telling the truth. _

"_Nope." Draco turned back to his plate and began to eat the Sheppard's pie that he had served himself. _

"_And why exactly am I going to do all this for you?"_

_Draco turned to him with one eyebrow raised. "Do you really want to go into all the ways that you owe me Zabini? Because we can if you really want to."_

"_Ok, ok you're right. I'll go. Who is my 'date'?" _

_Draco sniggered and turned back to his food._

"_Who is it Malfoy?"Blaise pressed again. He really didn't like the way Draco was avoiding the question._

"_Looney Lovegood."_

"_Oh bloody hell!"_

* * *

"_Looney!" Ginny sprinted out of the Great Hall after her best friend. _

_The pretty blond girl stopped half way up the grand stair case and waited for the little red head to catch up. "Hey love, what's up?"_

_Ginny linked her arm through Luna's and they both continued up the stairs. "So I have a favor to ask," Ginny began. _

"_Oh dear Merlin! This can't be good."_

"_No, it's not bad. You just probably won't like it."_

"_And that makes me feel so much better! Alright what is it?"_

"_Don't worry! It'll be fine! I'm just going to ask you to go on a double date with me this weekend when we go to Hogsmeade." _

_Luna let out an airy bell like laugh that was so characteristic of her. "Oh Gin, that doesn't sound all that bad."_

"_It's not the what it's more of the who."_

"_What does that mean Ms. Weasley?"_

"_Well you see… I kind of spent the entire afternoon holed up in the Room of Requirement snogging a certain infamous blond Slytherin whom I've been secretly spending quite a bit of time with in the last month or so." Ginny whispered to her friend trying desperately to ensure that no one around them heard her news._

"_Oh really?" Luna's eyebrows shot up. "Details?"_

_Ginny looked at her shocked. "Not here look at all these people!"_

_Luna rolled her eyes and tugged her friend out of the throng of students and right over to the nearest class room. After sticking her head in to make sure the coast was clear she pulled Ginny into the room and immediately spun around to face her. "Spill."_

"_I have been spending time with Malfoy."_

"_Why?" _

"_I don't know. Originally because we would bump into each other then we started seeking each other out and then today…" Ginny trailed off. _

"_Yes? What happened today?"Luna pressed._

"_He found me after transfiguration, we were talking in the corridor and one thing led to another so that twenty minutes later we were on a big red couch in the middle of the RR."_

"_Nice! Is he as good of a snogger as he looks?" _

"_No," Ginny sighed. She walked over to the nearest desk an plopped down in the chair. "He is so much better."_

"_If he's that good of a snogger then can you imagine shagging him?" Luna wiggled her eyebrows suggestively._

"_Luna!"_

"_What? It's a valid question. The boy is delicious!"_

"_Yeah well he's my Slytherin get your own."_

_Luna giggled. "Oh yeah like I would ever actually be with a Slytherin. They all hate me with a fiery passion."_

"_Speaking of Slytherins other than mine…"_

"_Oh so now he's yours?"_

"_Mhm and I got you one too." _

"_What does that mean?"_

"_You remember that I mentioned a double date?"_

"_With who?" Luna could already tell that she was most likely not going to like the answer to this question. _

_Ginny looked up at Luna innocently. "Blaise Zabini."_

"_What?! Ginny! No! That is not fair at all! He is so mean to me! You just can't ask me to willingly go spend the day with him!"_

"_But Looney I would be there too and Draco promised to make him behave." She gave Luna a pleading look. "I wouldn't ask if it weren't really important Lu. If I go alone then Ron will notice and ask questions. You and I both know that Ron and the rest of the trio can under no circumstances know."_

"_No, I know you're right." She raised her slender hands to her pale temples and gently massages. "Alright, I'll go."_

_Ginny squealed in delight and jumped from her chair. "Oh Looney! Thank you so much! You are the best friend ever!" She flung her arms around her friend and hugged her tightly._

"_Yes, yes I know." Luna said dejectedly as she hugged Ginny back. _

_

* * *

_

Before they knew it Saturday morning had rolled around. Both Draco and Ginny put a little extra effort into their morning routine in order to get ready for their date.

_When Ginny met Luna right outside the Gryffindor portrait hole she was absolutely bouncing with nervous energy._

"_Gin, would you please sit still. This is not a big deal. You have been snogging the bloke so you know he likes you. Why are you so nervous?"_

"_Because this is an actual date! A date with Draco Malfoy! It's just so mysterious and exciting and what if the trio catches us? Between worrying about him and them there is plenty to be nervous about."_

_Luna shook her head and laughed. "Yes love, I suppose there is. Come on lets go we're already running a bit late."_

_The boys on the other hand were not late. Draco had risen extra early and had ensured that he and Blaise had arrived five minutes early which did not please Blaise at all. _

"_Draco, you know they are girls right. They are going to be late. So now we are stuck out here in the fucking snow freezing our arses off all because of you."_

"_Oh shut it Zabini!" Draco said as he bounced up and down in a most un-Malfoy like way from the cold to try and get his blood flowing. _

_Blaise just snorted in amusement because he knew both that Draco didn't mean it and more importantly that he was right. And of course he was. Who wouldn't be cold on an early February day in Great Britain with five inches of snow on the ground? _

_Draco and Ginny had arranged to meet on the far edge of Hogsmeade off High Street for a butter beer at the Hogs Head Tavern. It wasn't the nicest establishment in the town but the pair had both agree that their options would be highly limited due to the presence of their fellow classmates. _

_Finally two small blurs appeared huddled under large cloaks, one black and one bright blue. When the blurs got closer Ginny and Luna popped out from underneath their cloaks one with a big smile and the other with an unnatural dark smile on her normally light dreamy face. _

_Draco smiled warmly at his date before ushering the group inside. _

_After a few minutes of brushing off the snow and removing all their winter gear the quartet was finally seated at a table in the far corner of the dimly lit room with four warm butter beers all quietly sipping them._

"_So…" Blaise finally began. He was always that guy who breaks the silence. "I'm not sure we have ever been properly introduced. I'm Blaise." He flashed a toothy grin at the pair of girls. _

"_Hi," Ginny said giggling. _

_Luna did nothing but glare at the dark and handsome boy. _

"_Oh Lovegood, what's the matter?" he asked in a mockingly concerned voice. _

"_You." She answered hostilely. _

"_You wound me." He responded sarcastically. _

"_Hey," Draco finally interjected. "That's enough mate. Be nice."_

_Blaise scowled at his friend while Luna beamed. _

"_So Draco how was your week?" Ginny asked quietly trying to shift the conversation away from the awkwardness. And so the pair launched into a conversation and basically ignored their friends who continued to sit and glare at each other. _

_After a while everyone had finished their drinks and were ready to go. They decided that they would stay off of High Street and stick to the side blocks of Hogsmeade to lessen their chances of being seen. _

_Draco helped his date slip into her cloak and held the door open for her and Luna to exit before himself and Blaise. They then proceeded to quietly walk down the mostly empty street Draco and Ginny in front and Blaise and Luna begrudgingly walking behind. _

_They began to walk down the street towards the first group of shops. After a moment of internal debate Draco reached out and grabbed hold of Ginny's small gloved hand and laced his fingers through hers. _

_Ginny had to suppress a squeal of delight when his hand touched hers. She stepped closer to him so their arms softly brushed against each other. What was wrong with her? She had had boyfriends before, why did guy make her feel so giddy at such a small action?_

_The small group wandered in and out of various stores for several hours and before long it was nearly time to go. They headed back towards the Hogshead where they would split up again. _

_Somewhere along the way Luna and Blaise had taken the lead. They had not stopped bickering all day. It was really a miracle that they had not killed each other yet. Ginny and Draco had unconsciously slowed their pace not wanting their perfect day to end while their friends trudged ahead._

_Just then something in the window of a tiny shop caught Ginny's eye and she paused. Displayed in the window, set carefully on draped black velvet was the most beautiful teardrop shaped moonstone about the size of a sickle. The pendent was incased in twisted silver with a single tiny garnet at the tip. Ginny was so in awe of the necklace she could do nothing but stare._

_Draco watched his beautiful date's reaction to the item with mild amusement. Had he seen this before Christmas break he would have immediately harassed her for her family's lack of wealth but that time seemed like so long ago. Now her fascination did nothing but intrigue him. _

_He grabbed her hand and gently pulled her behind him into the shop. Ginny was confused but followed her escort dutifully. _

_Inside the warm store Draco dropped Ginny's hand and left her standing in the entrance way as he swiftly made his way over to the store clerk. They exchanged a few words before Draco smiled at the girl and walked over to the window. He carefully lifted the necklace from its place and slipped it into his pocket._

"_What are you doing?" Ginny asked, slightly stunned. _

_Draco did nothing but give her a mischievous grin and drag her back out of the store. _

_Once the couple was once again outside Draco pulled the beautiful necklace out of his pocket and dangled it before Ginny's eyes. "This is for you." He said simply. _

"_What? No, Draco, I can't accept that!" she was mortified by the cavalier attitude he was displaying while presenting her with such an expensive gift she did nothing to deserve. _

_He just rolled his eyes. "Why not Red?" he should have expected that she would be difficult about accepting his gift. _

"_Because I did nothing to deserve that."_

"_You're my girlfriend; I think that means you deserve it." He gave her a cheeky grin._

_Once again Ginny was stunned but this time it wasn't into silence. "Excuse me? Who said I was your girlfriend?"_

_Draco's smile faltered slightly. "I did?"_

"_Oh really? She put her hands on her hips. "I don't recall being asked."_

"_Oh!" he smirked, regaining his confidence. "Ginny Weasley, will you be my girlfriend?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Good." He reached out to pull her body to his and softly kissed her on the lips. While their lips were still busy Draco untangled his hands from around her waist and carefully clasped the necklace around her neck. He broke the kiss and looked her in the eyes with a devious smirk on his lips. "Then you can accept this." _

_Ginny reached up and fingered the beautiful piece of jewelry. "Alright."_

_Draco beamed in triumph as the two finished their trek back to the Hogshead to meet their friends. _

* * *

"That was so sweet!" Hallie was bouncing up and down on the couch.

"Wow I don't think I'm going to tell you anymore of this story. You are becoming far too much of a Malfoy fan. You are my best friend and therefore should be on my side."

"I am on your side but I'm also on the side of the old Draco. I want him to come back because you are obviously still in love with him."

Ginny's jaw dropped open in shock. "Come again?"

"Oh Gin you don't see it? You are obsessed with him, you hate him but are still insanely attracted to him, and his opinion of you means more to you than mine. You are still mad about him!"

"No I'm not. Alright story time is over for today." Ginny stood up and started to head to the corridor to go to her room.

"You know it's alright don't you?"

Ginny paused and sighed. "What is Hal?"

"Missing him. He was your first love that you never got over. It really is ok."

"No its not." She said quietly before continuing to her room where she curled up in a ball on her bed and went back to sleep.

* * *

It was Tuesday afternoon when Draco received an owl from Ginny at work that said that Colin wanted to meet with them to go over the article. The goal was to get their approval and have it run as the lead story in the Prophet the next day.

After a series of sarcastic owls back and forth Ginny and Draco decided that they would meet at the Manor for dinner with Colin and his boyfriend Andrew.

Andrew was yet another Gryffindor that was a year younger than Ginny and Colin whom, Draco learned, Colin had been seeing since his seventh year. He was rather tall, just shy of Draco's 6'3'' frame but without his sleek seeker's build. He had dark brown hair and dreamy hazel eyes that had admired by many girls in back in his Hogwarts days but had only ever seen Colin.

Ginny arrived at the Manor half an hour before Colin to again go over some last minute details. When Colin and Andrew arrived both men hugged Ginny and shook hands with Draco. The small group headed into a small parlor off the main dining room that had a table set for four.

After a relaxed dinner with much catching up on the part of Ginny, Colin and Andrew and many light sarcastic comments from the resident Slytherin, they finally got down to business.

"Alright loves here it is, _Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy_." Colin handed Ginny and Draco a copy of the article for them to peruse.

Colin did a fantastic job of painting a flattering picture of a young couple who were twice involved in a secret love and were now ready to tell the world and make it official. It was perfect, exactly the sort of publicity that they would need in order to pull off their little ruse.

A few minutes later the couple approved the contents and Colin immediately sent an owl to his editor to tell him so the article could be run.

After dinner both couples relaxed in the parlor and continued to talk.

Draco had to admit that annoying little Colin Creevy was not as insufferable as he once had been. He thoroughly enjoyed talking and joking with Colin and Andrew, much to his surprise, and even took the initiative of offering Colin exclusive rights to cover the wedding and an invitation when they set the date to the pair, much to the surprise of Ginny.

It was late when the couple finally left the manor and Draco and Ginny were finally left alone to talk. After they had walked Colin and Andrew to the door they returned to the white sitting room in the north wing where they both sat down and discussed the success of the evening.

"Yet another brilliant performance Ms. Weasley."

"The same to you Mr. Malfoy." Ginny giggled. The civility in the room was definitely out of the ordinary but neither wanted to spoil the moment so they just let it go.

Just then an owl arrived and tapped on the window. Draco rose from the chair where he was sitting and retrieved the parchment. He unrolled the scroll and his eyes glazed over it as he read.

"Who's it for?" Ginny inquired casually as she kicked off her shoes and tucked her legs under her.

"Me actually. I need to go and answer this. It'll just take me five minutes."

"Ok I'll wait here." Ginny snuggled down into the couch on which she was lounging as he walked out of the room. A few minutes later, without even realizing it, she began to slowly drift off to sleep.

* * *

Draco ran his fingers through his hair. Why did he even bother having employees? He isn't at work for one show and the whole world falls apart. Bloody hell.

Well there isn't much he could do now. He just tied up the scroll, sealed the letter with wax and the Malfoy seal and placed it in the pile to be taken out for the morning post

Glancing at his watch he let out a groan. He had been gone for over twenty minutes which meant either the Weasel would be waiting for him to yell at him for just abandoning her or she would have already left in which case she would yell at him the next day. Neither option seemed particularly appealing but he dutifully trudged back to the sitting room in which he had abandoned his future wife. What he saw caught him by surprise.

Rather than the raging monster he expected instead he saw a fiery angel fast asleep, curled up in a ball on the couch. She was so peaceful and looked so beautiful it was almost painful for him to look at her.

Once he got over his initial shock and began to think pragmatically again, Draco realized that he had a real problem. What was he going to do with her? He couldn't wake her up, he knew from experience it wasn't pretty, but he also couldn't leave her here to be discovered by someone in the morning.

He decided the best course of action was to scoop the tiny woman up into his arms and carry her up to his room. as he trudged up the stairs with Ginny in his arms and her shoes dangling off one finger he couldn't help but notice that she was the exact same size she had been when they were first together. Still the same tiny, frail frame that seemed altogether too small to contain the firecracker personality.

When he reached his room he used his wand to unlock the door and kicked it open. Now he found yet another dilemma, where was he going to put her?

Deciding the best course of action was to give her the bed and take the couch; he placed her in the bed and carefully tucked her in before kicking off his black leather shoes and stripping off his black button down shirt. He let himself fall onto the couch and accioed a blanket before extinguishing the lights with a flick of his wand.

The next morning was going to be fun.

* * *

Ok I know you all must hate me. It has been forever and as a reader of fanfic myself I know how annoyed I get when stories don't update. But please tell me what you think. Don't give up on the story. I really think this one is going well and I really like knowing what you all think.

I know excuses suck but I didn't abandon you for months on purpose! I have just been so swamped with school and getting adjusted to college and classes and new people and environment. I really do love all my readers and hope you all can forgive me for the huge delays in between chapters. I am not giving up on this story! I promise I'm going to complete it! I just might take quite a while between chapters!

Luv,

Care


	10. Narcissa

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 10: Narcissa

_

* * *

_

When he reached his room he used his wand to unlock the door and kicked it open. Now he found yet another dilemma, where was he going to put her?

_Deciding the best course of action was to give her the bed and take the couch; he placed her in the bed and carefully tucked her in before kicking off his black leather shoes and stripping off his black button down shirt. He let himself fall onto the couch and accioed a blanket before extinguishing the lights with a flick of his wand. _

_The next morning was going to be fun. _

* * *

Ginny leisurely stretched her limbs out as she slowly began to wake up. For some reason her sheets just seemed softer than normal and her bed a bit more comfortable than it had been yesterday. She didn't want to move or open her eyes and especially she didn't want to go to work today.

Suddenly Ginny her a little grunt coming from across the room. She sat straight up and looked around.

She took a quick inventory of the room she was in: dark mahogany furniture, a deep green satin bedspread with black satin sheets, a large sitting room with black leather furniture, and one very blond individual scrunched onto the couch that was obviously several inches too small for him.

She relaxed. No wonder everything had seemed so much nicer than what she was used to, it wasn't hers. She must have fallen asleep in the sitting room last night waiting for Draco to finish… well whatever he was doing and somehow Draco had brought her up to his room, she really didn't even want to think about how.

Ginny slowly swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She slid off the high bed and tiptoed her way over to the large standing mirror in the corner. She looked over her appearance.

"Bloody hell." She muttered under her breath. "I look like shit!"

Her hair was sticking up at all angles, her makeup was smeared everywhere, and her shirt was over halfway unbuttoned which would have allowed anyone who cared to look a fantastic view of the pink lace bra she was wearing. She blushed a little bit at seeing this and found that she was very glad she awoke before Draco had. The bugger would have had a field day if he had seen her like this.

Well all this mess just wouldn't do. She whipped out her wand and fixed her appearance. Then with another quick flick she changed the color of her clothes with a quick glamour so she didn't have to appear at work in the same clothes two days in row.

With her appearance restored she decided it was best for her to sneak out of the room and just owl Draco later. One thing she clearly remembered about being with him was how unpleasant he could be when he first woke up in the morning and that was when he was in love with her, who knows what would happen now that he wasn't.

She slipped out the door and tiptoed down the stairs. She was nearly at the door and home free when she heard a soft melodious voice say from somewhere behind her, "Well what have we here?"

Ginny spun around already blushing bright red to face a tall beautiful woman with the same platinum blond hair and blue grey eyes as Draco. She was elegantly dressed in a champagne colored two piece women's suit that looked more like it should be on a runway somewhere exotic rather than in a boardroom. She was perfect. Ginny automatically knew that for the first time she was standing face to face with Narcissa Malfoy.

"Umm… well…" Ginny stuttered. She was completely caught off guard by a woman whom she had always feared as a child, though she wasn't exactly sure she knew why.

"Are you the fiancé or one of the whores?" she asked her voice positively wintery.

"The fiancé." Ginny responded hesitantly. She was unsure of which answer was going to bring the intimidating woman more displeasure.

"Oh," Narcissa said as her tone and overall demeanor immediately twisted around 180 degrees. "In that case I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Narcissa Malfoy, your future mother in law." She laughed softly in a clear bell like laugh as she offered her hand to Ginny.

"I know who you are Mrs. Malfoy. I'm Ginny Weasley."

"Oh please, call me Cissa. You are practically family and, according to my father in law, you are able to put my son in his place which is a feat in itself and therefore more than worthy of informality. You prefer Ginny to Ginevra?"

"Yes ma'am." She voice, she could tell, was shaking ever so slightly much to her annoyance. "Ginevra is far too fancy for my taste."

"Wow, do I intimidate you?" Narcissa asked the smaller woman bluntly. "You seem very nervous."

Ginny exhaled a breath she didn't know she had been holding. "Actually yes," she giggled. "You rather do.

Cissa laughed out loud. "Well at least you admit it. You'll soon see I'm really not all that scary, I promise. Would you like some breakfast before you dash off to work?"

"That would be wonderful. If I turned up early at the office for once in my life it might give my assistant a heart attack."

"Well you wouldn't want to do that would you?" she asked as she ushered the younger woman into the large dining room she had been in the one time she had attended a Malfoy family dinner.

"No she's been with me since I first started and as much as we hate each other I don't know what I would do without her." Ginny said as she took a seat in the chair that Cissa had indicated she should sit in.

"So what exactly do you do Ginny?" Narcissa said as she herself sat down.

As soon as she was seated food appeared before them. Fluffy eggs, bacon, French toast, everything was perfect. "Please help yourself."

"I am a mediwitch who specializes in misuses of potions at St. Mungo's." Ginny responded as she spooned some of the lovely eggs onto the plate that had appeared in front of her.

"Wow that is fascinating. I can see why Abraxas is so taken with you. Ever since he met you I have heard nothing but your various praises being sung by both my mother and father in law. You have made quite the impression on them."

Ginny flushed a light pink and smiled. She was never very good at accepting compliments and avoided this one by taking a bite of her eggs.

"Ah how cute. The little weasel is embarrassed." said a deep voice behind Ginny.

Oh good, Draco was awake. Ginny resisted the urge to fire back a rude comment of her own and instead simply ignored him as she heard him cross the room from behind her. When he finally emerged where she could see him it was all she could do to keep from staring and possibly even drooling.

* * *

Draco had woken up on the couch with a very stiff neck and in a very foul temper. He had expected to find Ginny still in his bed but instead it was empty and the little red head was gone. That annoyed him. He expected her to at least say goodbye before she disappeared

Reluctantly, he lifted his stiff body off the couch and stretched out all his long limbs. He contemplated getting dressed which would have made both his mother and his elf very happy but that would be far too easy so instead he decided to go downstairs to breakfast in just the wrinkled jeans he had worn both to work the day before and to sleep in without even bothering to put on a shirt.

Draco quickly made his way down the back stairs and entered directly into the kitchens. Snatching a chocolate croissant from the tray one of the house elves, he swiftly dodged the magical zap she tried to send at him and emerged from the kitchens into the dining room where he was met by a much unexpected sight.

Sitting there across from his mother, in his spot, was Ginny. She obviously had not escaped like he had thought but instead had crossed paths with Narcissa.

He watched and listened as his mother dealt out a very uncharacteristically generous compliment and the little weasel flushed that adorable shade of pink she always did when she was caught off guard and embarrassed. Well he couldn't possibly pass an opportunity like this now could he?

"Ah how cute, the little weasel is embarrassed." He smirked as he began to cross the room so that he was standing at the head of the table halfway between his mother and his… fiancé.

The parade of emotions that proceeded to go across Ginny's face was fascinating. In less than a minute she switched from embarrassment to fury to something that resembled shock and awe as Draco came into her full view.

At first this last emotion caught him off guard. It was then that he remembered that he had decided not to put on his shirt. Red was gawking at him. Unconsciously he puffed out his well toned chest a little bit more at the compliment that she was paying him through her reaction while he attempted to pretend not to notice her staring.

Instead he turned and nonchalantly walked over to the chair in which Narcissa was seated. He gave his mother a swift kiss on the cheek she had offered him and turned to sit in the chair normally occupied by his grandfather.

"Draco dear, wait, come back please." His mother said as he had straightened to go over to his own seat.

He obliged her and was thoroughly surprised when he received a sharp smack on the back of the head rather than the kiss on the cheek he had expected.

"Umm…ow." He said eloquently, much to his embarrassment.

"Well then stop being an arse. Apologize to Ginny."

"Excuse me?" There was no way he was going to do that. He would never live the smack down he was going to add to the embarrassment by actually apologizing.

"Now Draco Lucius Malfoy."

Bloody hell now she used his full name. "I'm sorry Weasley." He couldn't believe he was being put through this humiliation.

Ginny smirked at him. "It's fine Malfoy." She was loving this he could tell.

"Good. Now sit down and behave yourself."

"Yes Mum." Draco said dutifully as gave up on the head chair and took his bruised pride over to a seat next to Ginny and his normal chair.

"You stole my seat." He muttered to her.

Ginny did nothing but give him a sweet smile before returning her attention to her eggs.

"Draco?" his mother asked.

"Mmm?" he responded with his mouth full of the stolen croissant.

"Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"

"I was comfy. I decided I didn't want to." He gave his mother a child like smile, the impish one that said oops you caught me. "Where's father?"

"He decided yesterday that he wanted to take a holiday in America. He should be back within a few weeks."

"Oh ok."

* * *

The whole exchange was very weird for Ginny. She had never seen this side of Draco. She had seen the loving boyfriend a bit and was all too familiar with the normal stuck up prat but the misbehaving child was a completely foreign Draco that Ginny was rather enjoying.

The meal then continued on with Narcissa asking Ginny a series of questions about herself in an obvious effort to get to know her soon to be daughter in law. By the end of the meal Ginny had happily decided that she and Cissa would get along just splendidly, much to her relief

Just as she was about to get up and head to work Narcissa asked one final question that forced Ginny to hang back.

"So when do you think you'll be moving in dear?"

"Oh." The question caught Ginny off guard. "We haven't actually discussed it." She turned to Draco who had been mostly silent throughout the meal. "What do you think?"

"Well I suppose it's really up to Grandfather but since the world will be finding out today I expect anytime you are ready will be just fine. It's not as if it will be astonishing news anymore."

"We also really need to set an official date for the wedding, preferably sometime soon. Cissa do you think you could help me quickly plan a simple wedding?"

Narcissa's face immediately lit up at the suggestion. "Of course! Salvia and I would both be delighted to help. Party planning is something that Malfoy women excel at! Why don't you come by this weekend and the three of us can get most of the basics laid out?"

"That would be perfect. Would you mind if I brought my flatmate as well? She is going to be my maid of honor and loves this sort of thing."

"Oh of course you should bring her. I expect we will be seeing quite a bit of her over the next year. We might as well get to know her now."

With all the plans for the weekend decided, Ginny reluctantly stood up from her chair and bid the others goodbye.

Narcissa then pointed her toward that apperating room and Ginny apperated to the main lobby of St. Mungo's. She was still early and she was in no hurry to reach her beloved assistant so arriving in the main lobby rather than her office seemed like a better choice. Or so she thought.

What Ginny didn't expect was the flood of people who tried to approach her: nurses, healers and patients alike all were holding a copy of the Daily Prophet with a large picture of Draco and herself on the front page. Despite Draco's earlier statement, she had still completely forgotten that Colin had run the story in this morning's prophet.

"Healer Weasley! Is it true?"

"Way to go Gin!"

"Nice catch Healer!"

"Wow you really are that beautiful! No wonder Malfoy finally decided to settle down,"

She was bombarded by comments and well wishers all the way to the elevator which she gratefully escaped into. Once she reached her floor she dashed straight into her office without speaking to anyone.

Flopping down in her chair, she took a deep breath and tried to prepare herself for what was going to be a very long day. Blond fucking ferret brought all this bullshit he put on her and he doesn't even have to worry about being hounded all day. He can just sit there in his bloody manor and relax as the new spreads while she has to attempt to get work done.

There was an abrupt rap on her office door.

"Come in Mrs. Coe."

Her assistant swiftly opened the door and closed it behind her. She eyed Ginny and said in a very haughty tone. "How nice of you to show up in a timely fashion for once."

Ginny was taken aback at her assistant's tone. "I'm sorry. Have I done something to offend you?"

"Not at all why would you think that?"

"Honestly because you are being rather rude to me this morning."

"Oh and you don't think that not telling your assistant of nearly three years that you were seriously involved with someone and got engaged isn't rude?"

Oh now she understood. "Oh Mrs. Coe, I am so sorry!"

"You should be." She sniffed. "I cannot believe I had to find out from the paper."

"You are right I should have told you." Ginny said her voice truly apologetic as she began to lie through her teeth. "It's just that I had become so accustomed to keeping it completely secret. I didn't even tell my family that I was seeing him again until this past weekend when we announced our engagement to them. Please don't be upset with me. Draco and I didn't tell anyone. We couldn't risk our secret getting out. No one knew, truly. All of our friends will be finding out this morning in the Prophet along with everyone else."

Mrs. Coe deflated slightly. "It's alright healer. I'm sorry I was so rude, I just thought after the last few years together…" she trailed off. "So when is the wedding?"

"I'm not sure yet. Draco and I are hoping to set the date this weekend. We want to do it fairly soon though, no sense in waiting. Just keep the weekends of the next month or so free and keep an eye out for the invitation in the post."

Mrs. Coe beamed at Ginny after the promise of an invitation. "I will do that. Alright well I best be off to get your morning organized!" with that the older woman turned on her heal and exited the office.

Ginny sank down farther in her chair and took a deep breath. Gods this engagement was causing everyone in her world to go absolutely nutters.

* * *

By the time 6:00 rolled around Ginny was more than ready to apperate back to her flat and drink heavily.

When she emerged from the foyer and had set down all the reports that she had brought home to work on she noticed that Hallie had beat her to it.

"Hey!" her best friend called out as she spotted Ginny. "Here you go." She brought Ginny one of the giant wine glasses that they reserved for really, really long days that required large amount of alcohol to be consumed at once.

"Wow Hal, long day?"

She had to wait for a response as Hallie stuck out a finger to signal her to hold on and took a generous sip from her wine glass. "Oh you have no idea. How about for the future Mrs. Malfoy?"

"I don't wanna talk about it yet. You get to go first."

"We got a new curse breaker and I'm going to kill him already, only problem is he is basically my new partner so I am stuck with him."

"Partner? You all don't have partners."

"We do now! There were several incidents in other god forsaken parts of the world where people have died now the entire company has been issued partners to provide for better security. My response to this was no shit there have been incidents, we break CURSES! Monroe didn't appreciate that."

"Most bosses don't like their agents to mouth off. Speaking of which though, Mrs. Coe went crazy on me today and threw a hissy fit about not knowing about my suto-relationship with Draco before the announcement in the paper."

"Weird."

"Yeah tell me about it. So who is this new partner?"

"This stuck up prat named Theodore Nott."

"Wow really? Nott?" Ginny giggled.

"What?" Hallie asked still fuming.

"He's a Slytherin from Draco's year. He associated with the Slytherin Prince and his faithful sidekicks in earlier years but wasn't friends with Blaise and Draco till probably his fifth year, right around the time the Slytherin clique began to loosen up a bit. He was a bit weedy looking to begin with but by the time he became friends with them he began to grow into his features and I haven't seen him in a few years but back then…damn."

"Well nothing has changed. He is absolutely beautiful but a holy terror to work with. He started questioning my methods today, imagine, questioning me. I almost 'accidently' ended up dumping one of the curses back on him."

Ginny had to giggle. Easy going Hallie had obviously met her match in Theodore Nott.

"Ok, I'm done with this topic. I wanna hear about last night and I wanna hear more of the Draco/Ginny saga."

Ginny snorted. "It's not a saga."

"You're right. Maybe it's more of an epic."

"Ha ha you're not cute. Ok yesterday, the short version…"

"Do I ever get anything else?"

"Shut up! So we had dinner with Colin and Andrew and we approved the article which I am sure you saw at some point today." She paused to allow Hallie time to respond.

"Yes ma'am I did. You two looked so cute together in that picture. If I didn't know you liked to pretend to loathe each other I would have thought you were actually in love." She gave Ginny a cheeky grin for emphasis.

"I don't like you. Anyways, it was late by the time they left but I stayed anyway to just talk to Draco. He was being strangely nice so I decided to take advantage of it. After a bit he got an owl that he said he had to take care of, whatever that means, and he went in the other room. I decided to just wait for him to come back and while I was I fell asleep on the couch. Somehow this morning I woke up in his bed…"

"What?!?! Where was he?" Hallie interrupted practically shrieking.

"Calm down! He was squished on the couch."

"Aww, you said in his bed and I got excited!" She said a bit crestfallen.

"Sorry to disappoint." Ginny laughed at her friend's reaction. "After I fixed my appearance I snuck out and ended up running into Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother. We had an almost pleasant breakfast with the exception of her son and his normal smarmy self then I went to work. Tada. Oh, and we are going over there this weekend to get the majority of the wedding plans nailed down."

"Yay! That's fun."

"I thought you would like that." Ginny laughed.

"Awesome. Ok so now that I'm up to date on the Draco/Ginny drama version 2.0 I think you should tell me some more of the original." She beamed at Ginny.

"Why?"

"Because it would help me forget my horrible day."

"Yeah, I'm sure. I think you're just nosy."

"That too. First though I need more wine!" she dashed into the kitchen and came back carrying the large bottle of wine she had opened. "God bless the European drinking age." She said as she refilled both their glasses.

"Ok so we were at the first date right?"

"Yep it had just ended and he had just bought you your favorite necklace which you have been avoiding since he has come back into your life."

"Thank you." Ginny said sarcastically. "Ok so after that first date in Hogsmeade…"

_

* * *

_

A week after the amazing date in Hogsmeade with Draco Ginny sat at the long Gryffindor table during her free period right before lunch. She was working on finishing up the last few inches of the two feet of parchment that was due the next day for professor Snape on the uses of belladonna. Despite being a Gryffindor to her core she had always enjoyed Potions as it was one of the few classes that Ginny took that provided any sort of real challenge to her intellect.

_Just as she was about to put the finishing touches on the essay and magically seal the ink a beautiful eagle owl soared in through the hole in the roof and circled the great hall landing right next to Ginny. He stuck out his leg and hooted at her. _

_Ginny was shocked by the appearance of the owl. Who would send her mail? She almost never got mail of any sort except the occasional package from her mum. _

_She untied the letter and gave the owl an apologetic little pat. "I'm sorry I don't have anything for you."_

_The owl merely hooted in response and softly nipped her arm._

_Ginny unrolled the letter and quickly read the note that was elegantly scripted across the page._

_The Presence of _

_Miss Ginevra Weasley_

_is Requested for a Romantic Dinner _

_with _

_Master Draco Malfoy _

_on the Evening of February14th, 1997_

_In the Room of Requirement _

_At 7:30 _

_RSVP is requested _

_Ginny's eyes lit up as she read the note. When she finished she didn't know whether to jump for joy or to laugh out loud. She was absolutely delighted because of the possibility of another date with her amazing new boyfriend but at the same time the pomp and circumstance with which he was trying to arrange the date was just too funny. He was obviously a Malfoy to the core. _

_While she was still giggling over the letter she heard the sound of other students emerging from class and heading toward the great hall to eat. _

_She quickly whipped out a clean sheet of parchment and wrote in the most elegant script possible with her hurry. _

_Master Malfoy_

_It would be my pleasure to join you sir. What, pray tell, is the correct attire for the evening and will I be requiring a cover for the evening in the form of a friend?_

_Yours truly, _

_Ginny Weasley_

_She quickly sealed the letter and pressed her lips to the parchment leaving an almost perfect kiss on the page. She folded the letter and quickly tied it to the owl's leg just as the door burst open and her classmates filed in. _

_A Valentine's Day date with Draco tomorrow night, she could barely wait. _

* * *

"_Looney!" Ginny said breathlessly as she caught up to her friend after dinner. _

"_I don't know what it is but I probably don't want to after the last time you came up to me like this."_

"_I need you to help me pick out a dress for tomorrow."_

"_Oh is that all? Ok." Luna giggled. _

"_Wait, do you already know about what's going on?"_

"_Mhm, Blaise and I helped him plan it all out. You're going to love it."_

_Ginny squealed in a gesture that was very much out of character. "Well I guess that answers that question. Ok so what should I wear?"_

"_Um bring all your dresses down to my room in about half an hour and between my stuff and yours we will pull something fabulous together for both of us. If I have to eat with Zabini I at least want to make him drool a little bit." She smirked in a very Slytherin-esque way at her evil plan._

"_Ok I'll be there in a bit." And with that the little redhead dashed off almost as quickly as she had appeared. _

_Almost exactly half an hour later Ginny stood in front of the Ravenclaw portrait prepared to answer the riddle that was required to gain entrance to the house. She had been in the Ravenclaw common room many times before and was always able to answer the riddle without the aid of one of the actual house members and this time was no different. _

_As she made her way through the common room around all the various study groups she returned the greetings of those she knew as she made her way to the hallway that led down to the girls' dormitories. She walked down the hall and once she reached the fifth year dorm she let herself in. _

"_Hey Looney." She greeted her friend. _

"_Hey, ok here is everything I have what did you bring?"Gesturing to the dresses she had laid out across her blue and bronze bedspread. _

_Ginny lifted the small load of clothing out of her pocket and performed the spell to enlarge them back to their original size. She spread them out in the room that remained between Luna's bed and her trunk. _

"_Ok let's do this."_

_An hour and a half later both women had picked out their outfits for the following evening. It had taken numerous tries and some clothing construction spells to get the dresses to the finished product but I the end it had been entirely worth it. They would both look absolutely fabulous and the boys wouldn't know what to do with themselves._

_

* * *

_

Draco had spent the whole week between his first and second official date with Ginny setting up the ultimate romantic night. Since his first official visit to the Room of Requirement with Ginny he had spent a significant amount of time in the enchanted space trying to make sure that everything for their Valentine's Day date would be perfect.

_He had spent many hours with Blaise, Luna and even a little help from Dobby to plan out everything that they would need: the setting, the furniture, the menu. Draco wanted everything to be perfect. He didn't really understand why but ensuring that this night would be magical had become his main priority._

_By the time he received her confirmation on Saturday afternoon he was so nervous he could barely stand it. It was a weird feeling for a Malfoy, nervousness. _

_As he slipped on his nicest pair of dark blue jeans and soft black cotton t-shirt that fit his toned torso very well on Sunday night he feared he might actually throw up. _

"_Come on mate!" he scolded himself in front of the mirror in the room he shared with Blaise. "Get it together! This is just a girl. She may be the most amazing girl you have ever met but she is still just a girl."_

"_Talking to yourself now? Wow, you really have lost it Drae." Blaise snickered as he emerged from the shadows of their door way. He was wearing jeans as well and a deep blue button down shirt that any girl would have said brought out his bright blue eyes but Draco would never even consider saying. _

"_Shut it." The pale blond man growled. _

"_Bloody hell, chill out, everything is going to go fine."_

"_Yeah I hope so. Come on lets go get everything set up."_

_With that the two Slytherin men left the safety of their dungeons and went to meet the two women who both would admit were their complete opposites but weren't quite ready to admit were their perfect matches._

_

* * *

_

Ginny and Luna pulled off the invisibility cloak and knocked on the door to the Room of Requirement that was already there and waiting for them. Blaise opened it and ushered the two girls in.

_As they stepped inside the room they found that they were in a beautiful outdoor garden completely lit by a combination of little twinkling lights and sporadic candles scattered everywhere. The effect was that the entire space had a magical glow. It was as if Hogwarts had completely disappeared. The entire area was seemingly endless and filled with perfectly manicured hedges of rose bushes in every color fully in bloom so that the whole room smelled absolutely divine. In the middle of the space were two white gazebos each with multi-colored cushions lining the floor and a small circular table in the center of each. _

"_Welcome ladies to Zabini's Love Bistro." Blaise flashed them an impish grin as he helped not only Ginny but amazingly Luna as well out of her cloak. _

_It took him a moment to regain his normal charm as surveyed both the women before him and was struck momentarily dumb. _

_Ginny was wearing a forest green square neck dress with a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt that reached down to the middle of her calves. Between her and Luna they managed to tame Ginny's wild, vibrant curls and force them to fall in soft curling waves down her back. _

_Luna's look was very different from Ginny's but still managed to emphasize her best features. Her dress was a light blue paisley halter dress that flowed down to just above knees. Her hair was normally allowed to flow down in the crazy wavy mass had been swept up into an elegant bun on top of her head with just a few wavy tendrils framing her face._

"_Wow… you both look amazing." He said in an awestruck tone although his gaze obviously lingered on Luna who was having a hard time suppressing a smirk._

_Just then Draco emerged from somewhere over to the side of one of the gazebos. As soon as he saw Ginny his face broke into a massive grin. He headed in a beeline straight for her and immediately pulled her in for a hug. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Then without saying a word he took her hand and pulled her over to the gazebo that was slightly off to the left leaving the other pair standing there. _

"_Well madam I guess that it's just the two of us now as our friends are otherwise engaged." Blaise said having regained his normal dashing self. He offered Luna his arm which she hesitantly accepted. He led her over to the other gazebo and graciously served her the dinner they had all decided on. _

_Amazingly they remained civil and pleasant throughout the entire meal. Blaise was charming and Luna was adorable. They both ended the evening feeling as if maybe they had misjudged the other individual. _

_Over on the other side things did not go as smoothly despite the best laid plans of Draco. _

_The evening began well. They made it through the first without a hitch just laughing and enjoying the other's company with a stolen kiss or two thrown in. Unfortunately, with the serving of dessert Draco accidentally spilled some of the chocolate sauce that he was trying to carefully drizzle on the chocolate silk pie all down Ginny's front. Mortified by his action Draco attempted to stand to find a napkin or his wand or something but in the process of rising from his reclining position he stepped on Ginny's hand, much to his absolute horror. _

_Eventually, a laughing Ginny, who had cleaned herself up with a quick spell, grabbed a hold of Draco's jeans and pulling him back down onto the cushions. He was so embarrassed and wanted nothing more than to just simply disappear but what happened next completely caught him off guard. _

_Ginny pushed him back so that he was lying down and then proceeded to climb on top of him, situating herself so that she was straddling his lap. She leaned down and pushed one long searing kiss to his lips that he gratefully allowed her to deepen. _

_After a few minutes of heated snogging she broke the kiss with a brilliant smile across her face. "Thank you."_

"_For what?" he scoffed. "For spilling how chocolate sauce all over you or attempting to maim you?" He was so embarrassed he refused to meet her eyes. Despite how hard he had tried he had still failed. _

_She placed her hand on the side of his face and forced him to look at her. "For putting this amazing night together, for caring enough to put this much effort into something for me. No one has ever done anything like this for me. It was absolutely perfect." She kissed him again to emphasize what she had said. _

_After they broke the kiss they just laid there for another hour or so just talking and enjoying the company of the other. _

_As they reluctantly got up to leave Draco brought up his mistake once again, "So you sure you are ok?"_

"_Oh Draco!" Ginny said in exasperation. She turned and faced him, grabbing his face between her hands. "This was perfect, you are beyond perfect and don't worry about me. I'm not easily broken."_

* * *

"I just don't get it." Hallie said, she was more than a little tipsy as between the two of them they had almost entirely finished the bottle of wine.

"What is there to get?" Ginny giggled right back.

"Let's see, there are several things actually, why haven't you shagged him yet and how could you possibly let him go?"

Ginny gave her friend a playful smack on the thigh. "If you keep asking me the same damn questions I am not going to tell you anymore of this story."

"Yes you will because you love me and I will bug you till you do. So get over yourself and finish the damn wine." Hallie laughed.

Ginny smirked at her friend and downed the last few swallows of her current glass and held it out to be refilled. "You are right about you being annoying."

Now it was Hallie's turn to take a playful swing at her best friend.

* * *

The next morning Ginny awoke with a miserable headache.

Two girls and one huge bottle of wine equals a very bad decision. She crawled out of bed and stepped over the remains of her currently broken alarm clock trying in vain to feel her way down the hall without actually opening her eyes or attempting to heave up whatever was the contents of her stomach.

Finally she reached the kitchen and located a much needed hangover remedy. Damn it all, only one left. Well it wouldn't be fair to drink the whole thing and leave Hallie to suffer. She uncorked the vial and drank only half of the fowl tasting liquid. After a moment the headache ebbed but did not fully subside and the nausea was no longer over bearing.

She re-corked the vial and made her way back down the hall to Hallie's room. Her flatmate did not have to go into work until late on Thursdays and so Ginny simply left the half full vial on her nightstand before heading back to her room to get ready for work herself.

As she shut her door behind her she leaned back against the solid piece of wood and took a deep breath. It was going to be another very long day. She wanted nothing more than for this week to be over so that she could get on with planning her wedding. Bloody hell that still sounded weird.

* * *

Yeah I know its super long and it took a super long time. I'm really sorry!!!!!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!!!! Keep it up!!!!!

Care


	11. Preperations

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 11: Preparations

* * *

After an absolutely miserable Thursday completely hung-over and Friday jam-packed with both patients, well wishers and constant questions Ginny was more than happy for her week to be over.

Finally, Saturday morning arrived. Ginny woke up early of her own free will, drawn out by the smell of coffee drifting down the hall to her room. She forced herself to roll out of bed and shuffled out to the kitchen where her standard purple mug was waiting on the edge of the counter filled with steaming hot coffee and just the right amount of cream and sugar. Hallie was amazing. "Where have you been all my life?" she whispered to the lilac container.

"Wow," Hallie laughed. She was sitting at the table still dressed in her usual pajama pants and tank top and hair in a messy bun on the top of her head. She had her own cup of coffee and the daily prophets laid out on the table in front of her with her legs draped over another chair. "Good morning Sunshine." She smirked at Ginny.

Ginny didn't respond instead she took a long sip from her coffee mug and yanked the other chair out of the reach of her roommate's legs. Once the caffeine had appropriately sunk into her system she then said "I'm not even gonna dignify you with an answer."

"What time are we going to Malfoy Manor?" Hallie said changing the subject but still smirking.

"Soon as we get ready I suppose."

"Ok cool." She said then she yawned through the next set of words so that they were completely unintelligible.

"I'm sorry," Ginny said with one eyebrow raised. "Were you speaking words?"

"Maybe." She laughed as she finished yawing. "I said I want to hear more of the story."

Ginny carefully set down her coffee mug and let her head fall to the table. "Dear god woman you just never give up do you?"

"Nope."

"Honestly there isn't much more to tell." She propped her head up on her hand. "That's pretty much the last really important thing that happened in my fifth year. The rest of the year we would randomly meet to talk and hang out together, usually with Blaise and Luna in tow. We went to Hogsmeade together a few more times but it was my fifth year and the closer we got to the end of the term the less time we could spend together because of my O.. Between school and the need to keep it all a secret it was really hard to find times to be together.

When the term ended, we rode back to King's Cross together in an empty cabin just the four of us laughing and joking. By that time even Blaise and Luna were beginning to get along just because of the sheer amount of time we spent together. Actually we didn't know it yet but they were getting along even better than they were letting on but that's a completely different story." She let out a little laugh just thinking about her friends' own secret romance.

"Just before we got off the train Blaise and Luna gave us a few moments to be together. We made out a little bit and then he gave me a piece of parchment with a note on it and made me promise not to open it till I got back to the burrow. Finally, we promised that we would write each other all summer long and left the train to join our families. That's really it for that year."

"So did you?"

"Did we what?"

"Did you actually write?"

"Of course."

"Did you keep the letters?"

"Of course and no."

"No what?"

"No you can't read them Hallie. I know that is your next question."

"Why not?"

"Because I have told you pretty much everything. I want to keep at least some of my secrets. No one knows what they say but me and him. I never even showed them Looney."

"Fine." She sighed in a dreamy resignation. "I bet they are terribly sweet though."

Ginny shook her head and smiled. Of course Hallie would want to read the letters. What a little hopeless romantic. "Come on lets go get dressed."

* * *

Ginny and Hallie stepped out of the floo and dusted themselves off. No sooner had they finished then they heard a loud pop as the house elf that Ginny had met the very first time she had visited the manor appeared before them.

"Hello misses. How can I be helping you?" He asked the two.

He was absolutely adorable, all falsely stoic and haughty. "Hi, I'm sorry I've forgotten you name love." Ginny asked the elf.

At her question the elf softened a bit. "My name is being Blinky miss."

"Alright well Blinky, I believe we have an appointment with both the Mrs. Malfoys. I'm Ginny Weasley."

"Oh yes miss. Mistress Salvia and Mistress Narcissa is expecting you."

The strangely assertive little house elf led the two women through the house and into a beautiful parlor type room that was completely furnished in black and white modern chique decorations. Seated at the middle table were Salvia and Narcissa both of whom rose at the entrance of Hallie and Ginny.

"Ah Ginny!" Narcissa exclaimed enthusiastically, betraying her already obviously high regard for the women she had not even known a week. She embraced the small woman affectionately before turning to her companion. "And who might you be?"

"Oh, Salvia, Narcissa this is my best friend Hallie Weschester. Hallie, this is Salvia and Narcissa Malfoy."

Hallie smiled nervously, obviously intimidated by the older women.

Narcissa for her part beamed at her. "It is so nice to meet you." She embraced Hallie as well and then said. "Why don't we sit? We have lots to do and only so many hours in the day to get it done."

* * *

Salvia, Narcissa, Ginny and Hallie had been settled in the beautiful parlor for over an hour happily working on various little details of the wedding.

So far they had decided that the wedding would take place in exactly two weeks which in itself was an accomplishment. Since the wedding would be so soon they would need a fall color scheme to work off of while at the same time staying away from all house colors. It was agreed among the women that colors they would be working off of would be a deep eggplant purple, a rust red, chocolate brown and then a burnt gold. They were all perfect fall colors that would go together for flower arrangements.

They also decided exactly who would be in the wedding party, Ginny had chosen Hallie as the Maid of Honor and Luna as the other bridesmaid and Narcissa knew that Draco would want Blaise as his best man and Theodore as his other groomsman, much to Hallie's chagrin.

The group had moved on to choosing the flowers and actually designing the flower arrangements when they were interrupted.

"Why hello." A silky baritone said from the direction of the doorway. All the women turned to see who the new presence was but Ginny didn't need to lift her head to know exactly what she would see.

The tone with which he had uttered those two simple words said it all. She took a deep breath and glance up through her long eyelashes to see that her suspicions were confirmed.

The bloody bastard was leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe in casual clothes with his arms crossed and a sexy half smirk, half genuine smile that gave him his air of complete arrogant ambivalence. That look was the exact reason that almost every woman in the wizarding world was madly in love with him, including at one time Ginny.

Now though, something about that look made Ginny want to smack it off his face, and she would enjoy it too. It was probably the degree of self confidence that he exuded that truly annoyed her especially because she knew it was mostly fake. He was such a giant prat.

Things had not always been this way though; there was a time when this whole gesture would have taken her breath away. Now though, the complete pose and demeanor both nauseated her and forced to the forefront of her mind one of her more suppressed memories that she had avoided telling Hallie earlier that morning. Some of her time with Draco, like her letters, she just wanted to keep to herself. Her special secrets for when she couldn't remember why exactly she had fallen in love with him. She got lost in the memory of the best detention she ever received.

_

* * *

_

Ginny dutifully trudged down the corridor in the Dungeons that led to the Potions classroom. She absolutely couldn't believe that she had managed to get a bloody two hour detention with only two more days of actual classes before the start of O.W.L. testing.

_She stepped into the classroom and saw the great bat, also known as Professor Snape, sitting behind his desk. He looked strangely gleeful for Snape, it was rather disconcerting to see a look like that on her potions master's face. As she walked up to the desk she caught a glance of the red ink. He was grading papers, no wonder he was gleeful._

"_Hello Professor." She said wearily._

"_Ah Ms. Weasley, it is so good to see you yet again." He smirked at her. _

_Was he mocking her? She thought he was. Wow, he really was in a playful mood. Something in the cosmos was obviously very wrong. _

"_This evening I have a meeting that I must attend in professor Dumbledore's office."_

"_Oh that's fine professor. If you need to go I really don't mind at all canceling…"_

"_Very nice try," Snape interrupted her. "But no such luck. I have found someone to monitor your detention in my stead." He stood up from his desk and collected the things he needed then crossed the room to the door. "He should be here any moment and knows what your assignment is." With that Ginny's secretly favorite professor took his leave. _

_Ginny sat down dejectedly on one of the high bar stools at a potions station to await her impending doom. She wondered who Snape could have possibly gotten to watch her while she performed whatever menial scheme he had cooked up. _

_She heard a set of approaching footsteps which came to a halt in what she assumed was the doorway. _

"_Why hello," said a voice that she knew all too well._

_Ginny's heart leapt as she heard the silky baritone of her very favorite Slytherin._

_Slowly she spun around on the stool on which she was seated._

_There he was standing there with that cocky the devil may care look in his eye and a small smile that Ginny was sure was genuine playing across his lips. He was leaning on the doorframe in his special lazy way with his arms crossed and his soft blond hair hanging down into his eyes adorably. _

_Ginny loved seeing the platinum strands falling gently in their natural waves not confined by the demon goo that he was so fond of. He had laughed out loud when she had called it that and promised to stop slicking it back just for her at least some of the time. She was very glad he had made good on his promise. She liked being able to run her hands through his hair when they kissed. She had gotten uncharacteristically lucky that the first few times they were together he had been too lazy to actually do his hair those days. But the first time she had stuck her hands into the normally soft fine strands and they were crunchy she had not only been most displeased but had been very vocal on the subject. _

"_Hi." She finally choked out. She could barely contain her excitement. They had not been able to see each other in nearly two weeks and it had been killing her. _

_She launched herself off the stool and straight across the room into his arms. They stood there for a minute just holding each other, enjoying the feeling of having the other in their arms. _

"_I've missed you." Ginny mumbled into his shoulder breathing in as much of his cologne as she possibly could. _

_Draco laughed and kissed her on the top of her bright red curls. "I missed you too. How have you been holding up?" He pulled away slightly to be able to look into her face._

"_Eh, I'm surviving, studying mostly. I'm not looking forward to O.W.L.s at all."_

_He released her entirely except for her hand and let her back to the barstool where she had previously been perched. "That's not surprising." He assured her as they both took a seat. "I'm pretty sure everyone but Granger gets nervous about these tests."_

_He reached out and pulled her stool right up next to his so that she would be cradled in between his legs causing her to squeal as her chair moved. She then settled down, cuddling up to his chest._

"_So how have you been sir?"_

"_Busy, missing my girlfriend like crazy." He kissed her head again._

"_I've missed you too. And I feel like this will probably be the last time we actually get to be together before we leave or the summer."_

"_Yeah I think you may be right love. _

"_Summer is going to suck. You're going to be jet setting all over the world and, despite the fact that you will be stuck with your parents, you will meeting all these beautiful people and forget all about little, boring me"_

_Draco laughed out loud at her picture of his life. "Is that really what you think my summer will be like?"_

_Ginny nodded solemnly._

"_Oh love, you are sorely mistaken. My summer will me being dragged around the world by my parents to boring business meetings and parties, half of which will be filled with Deatheaters all the while I am thinking about you and how much fun you're having at the Burrow replacing me with Potter or one of his other Gryffindor groupies."_

_Now it was Ginny's turn to laugh. "You think I would ever be with Harry? Gods no! I have been working too hard to set him up with my friend Allison to even touch that. and as for the rest, why would I every want one of those blundering idiots when I already have an exciting gorgeous boyfriend who claims to be missing me like crazy somewhere in the world."_

"_True, I am rather fantastic." Draco smirked. _

_Ginny just scoffed and playfully swatted at his leg. _

_Draco grabbed both of her arms and crossed them in front of her. With a firm grip on her wrist he said, "Ha! I got you."_

_She twisted her head and body as much as possible with the iron grip he had on her body. He looked positively gleeful, like a four year old child who has done something bad. She couldn't help but laugh at his expression. Then she asked, "What is with you and bondage lately?"_

_The corners of Draco's mouth twitched with mirth. "That's what she said." Then he started laughing harder, the force of it vibrating Ginny's whole body._

_She sighed. Bloody boys; find a sex joke in everything. "Why exactly is it that my fairly awesome boyfriend is just as juvenile as my brother?"_

_Draco immediately sobered. "I am not like the Weasel boy."_

"_Could have fooled me. He and Harry make that joke all the bloody time. I think it's a retardation of some kind."_

_He laughed again, a deep chuckle. "You are probably right." _

_He shifted her hands around so that he only needed to use one strong arm to maintain a hold on both of her wrists. With his newly freed hand he reached up and swept her mass of ginger curls over her shoulder. A combination of his action and the cool air hitting her bare skin sent a shiver down Ginny's spine. _

_Draco lowered his head and pressed his lips to the small hollow in the nape of Ginny's neck. She shivered again, this time groaning softly. _

_The noise spurred Draco on. He lifted his girlfriend onto the table top and she quickly found his lips. His hand drifted up her skirt and found a very sensitive spot. _

_Within minutes Ginny abandoned his lips to gasp as he slipped first one finger then another into her body._

_He moved his lips to her neck. Ginny clutched him to her as her cries reverberated off the cold gray stone of the dungeon walls as she climaxed. Then all was silent. _

_After a few moments her breathing had returned to a fairly normal rate. She slowly released Draco and he pulled back to look at her. _

"_If I had known you were going to be that loud I would have cast a silencing charm." He said his eyes dancing with amusement. _

_Ginny blushed completely crimson and looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that would happen…. I've never done anything like that before."_

_Draco placed his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about or to apologize for. All that was is a lesson for next time." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively._

_Ginny couldn't help but giggle. "You're assuming there's going to be a next time."_

_Draco's mouth dropped open in an incredibly unattractive way. "That's not fair!"_

_Ginny giggled and pulled him in for a long passionate kiss._

"_I'm going assume after that my chances are good."_

_She just smirked at him and said. "I guess you better be on your best behavior." _

_Draco just leaned his forehead against hers before straightening to cast cleaning spells. In such a short time they had made quite a mess not just of themselves but of the lab table as well. _

_Ginny sat up and crossed her legs. She watched Draco as he went around straightening the potions sets that they had knocked asunder. "So Mr. Big Bad Prefect, I'm assuming that that was not the task that Snape had in mind for me for tonight."_

_Draco made a noise that sounded quite like a snort. "No I should say not. You were supposed to alphabetize something or other." He came to stand in front of Ginny and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I can do it with a quick spell though so don't worry about it." He gave her a peck on the nose which made her face light up with a smile._

_He pulled her off the table and took her by the hand as they went into the ingredient closet to put it back into the correct order with a simple spell. After that they went back the main room and talked with each other until it was time for Ginny's detention to end. _

_Reluctantly Ginny kissed Draco goodbye and made her way out of the dungeons back up to Gryffindor tower._

* * *

"Ginny?" Narcissa's voice interrupted her musings.

She quickly pulled herself back into the present and blushed in embarrassment for having been caught in her rather explicit musings. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked when you were wanting to going shopping for your dresses." Narcissa looked at her with concern. "Are you feeling alright? You're a bit flushed."

"I'm so sorry. I think I spaced out for a moment. Would it be alright if I just went out to get a bit of air?"

"Alright love of course, one moment though." She said concern still in her voice. She patted Ginny's hand comfortingly before turning around to face Draco. "Darling, come over here and help Ginny outside. She needs to get a bit of air and I don't want her to be alone if she's feeling light headed."

Ginny tried to control her face and not let the horror and embarrassment she felt at this suggestion play across her expression. After the memory she had just been lost in, he truly was the last person she was at all interested in being close to but when he begrudgingly walked over and offered her his arm she dutifully took it.

They slowly walked out of the room and rather then turn and take the long corridor back down to the foyer and the front door they went in the opposite direction on Draco's decision.

Ginny just decided to let him lead her wherever. It was his house after all; he should know where he's going.

They reached the end of the corridor and turned right. Ginny felt awkward with the silence and decided to try and force some small talk.

"So how was your week?"

"Dear?" Draco smirked.

"What?" Ginny looked up at him confused.

"Like how was your day dear? You sound like the perfect little wife greeting her husband at the door to get his coat and give him a scotch."

"Very funny, because you can completely see me as the doting housewife."

"I don't know, I think it could work."

Ginny snorted at the suggestion, "If that scenario ever occurs don't drink the scotch, it's probably poisoned."

"Good to know."

The pair came upon a large set of white French doors with fine lace curtains that were drawn back elegantly to expose the scene outside.

"Wow. It's beautiful." Ginny was in awe of the scene in front of her.

Draco opened the door and let her out into a large garden space.

"It thought you might like this place."

Ginny spun around and looked at him shrewdly. "I see we've found your inspiration sir."

The entire area was seemingly endless and filled with perfectly manicured hedges of rose bushes in every color fully in bloom. The air was completely saturated with the fragrance of the flowers. In the middle of the space was a white gazebo with a matching white glass table in the center and four wicker chairs. This was her perfect Valentine's day date scene.

Draco grinned. "Can't deny it. This has always been my favorite garden. It is my grandmother's special rose garden. She planted, grew and tends all of them."

He gestured to the gazebo and placed his hand on the small of Ginny's back to guide her over along the stone path through the bushes.

When they reached the large white structure Ginny half expected a collection of large pillows to be strewn around but instead all there was inside was a long porch swing. For some reason the sight of the swing brought to her a small sigh of relief she hadn't even realized she needed. Had there actually been pillows it would have been just too close to her perfect memory with the wrong Draco that she would not have been able to handle it.

She softly walked up the three steps and seated herself on the swing in the middle.

"This place really is beautiful."

"Yeah, I agree." He said a bit awkwardly. He climbed up the stairs and stood on the second step from the top leaning against a support beam just watching as the red head swung back and forth. Right in that moment she looked just like the woman that he had known all those years ago. Happy and calm, not a care in the world.

"Do you remember that night?" her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Which night?"

"Our Valentine's Day date of course."

"I try not to think about that."

She stopped the swing. "Why?"

"That night was horrible. I looked like a complete idiot." He dropped his head to his chest and shook his hair down into his eyes. Thinking about that night always made him blush and he didn't want her to see that.

Ginny just giggled though, "I thought it was completely endearing. I'm pretty sure that was the night I fell in love with you."

Draco's head popped up, his eyes wide in surprise. "Come again?"

"Oh shut up, you heard me."

Draco couldn't help but smirk. Now she was obviously the one who was embarrassed at her omission. "Hey, it's ok, I'm pretty hard not to fall for."

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm sure you think so but had you not been so crazy about me then I never would have had the problem. I was quite happy with hating you till you went and screwed that up."

"Hey, I completely blame you for being so distracting."

"Me?"

"Mhm you were too pretty, you distracted me."

Ginny giggled. "Be careful that sounded almost like a compliment."

"Nope, just a fact about your past self.'

"Oh thank you very much." She responded sarcastically rolling her eyes. "It's also rather too bad you aren't like you used to be to. The Draco I knew was sweet and considerate, I like him, you, not so much."

Draco flashed her an annoyed look. "Well you've never been so easy to deal with. actually, I usually consider you to be a general pain in the ass."

"Good I do try ever o hard to make your life miserable Malfoy."

"Well you do a bloody good job Weasel."

Ginny pushed herself off the swing and crossed the space between them so she was standing on the top step almost at his eye level. "Hey guess what ferret, you aren't going to be able to call me a Weasel much longer. In a few short weeks I'll be a Malfoy just like you."

His eyes glinted with malice and rage at her words. "Your name may change to Malfoy but that doesn't make you one. You'll always be a poor, useless Weasley."

Ginny was shocked. Before she knew what she was doing her hand had flown up and slapped him as hard as she could across the cheek. When her hand had lowered she stared hard at Draco her eyes betraying nothing of her hurt only her hatred.

He on the other hand showed no emotion at all. His hard Malfoy mask was perfectly in place despite the angry red skin that had received the brunt of Ginny's anger.

They stared at each other for a moment longer before Ginny turned and walked stiffly back down the steps and into the house leaving Draco standing there watching her walk away.

* * *

What in the hell had he been thinking? That they would somehow fall back where they were if he took her somewhere that reminded her of how things used to be? He was such an idiot. He had brought her to one of his special places to try to take them back to the place where they had been. He had tried to use this as a truce and ended up making things so much worse than before. Four years was too long to just pick up where they left off. No, the world had changed. She hated him and he sure as hell hated her.

The nasty little minx knew far too much about him. All his buttons and weak spots. She was the only one who could match his temper blow for blow and he should have been prepared for that. She was the only person that truly got under his skin.

"_That's because she is you weak spot."_ An annoying voice at the back of his head goaded him.

"No she's an annoyance." He whipped out his wand and apperated back to his room.

When he was standing in the familiar dark room he flung himself on to the couch. And to think that this whole thing was begun because she had finally admitted freely that she had loved him. The first time he had spent months getting her to admit to that. The irony of the situation was beautiful.

Draco couldn't stand to be in the same house as her any longer. He decided that the best course of action was to change out of the jeans and tee-shirt he had been lounging around in and go work for a while. At least being at work would get his mind off the situation at hand for the moment.

* * *

After leaving Draco standing there on the steps, Ginny made her way back to the sitting room where the women had been working. She paused just outside the doors and took a deep breath to steady her temper. She didn't want the other women to know that she and Draco had been fighting.

After a moment she had composed herself enough to step into the room.

"Feeling better?" Narcissa asked concernedly when she entered the room.

"Yes thank you." She responded giving her a warm smile.

"Salvia," Narcissa said suddenly. "Would you and Hallie mind taking over for a bit? I want to show Ginny her room."

"Of course. Go ahead. We'll just get these invitations finished up and mailed out. Don't forget to have her go in first."

"I know."

Narcissa joined Ginny at the door and the two women went out the main staircase and climbed it to the second level of the house.

As they climbed Narcissa pointed out various portraits of the different Malfoys and gave Ginny a short history of the family.

Eventually they passed an ornate polished wood door. The dark wood had been etched with a lovely swirled design that was so intricate Ginny knew it would take her the whole year just to notice all the detail. The next door they came to just a bit further up the hall was a nearly perfect twin of the first. This is the door that Narcissa stopped in front of. She carefully touched her wand tip to the lock and the lock clicked open.

"Here we are." She swung the door open and motioned for Ginny to go inside. "You have to go first. We put a spell on the room to decorate to your exact taste but it only works for the first person to enter the room."

"Oh, alright," Ginny stepped through the door way and felt the whoosh of magic swirl around her as the spell began to work.

She closed her eyes and when she opened them again the magic had worked.

The room was painted almost entirely white except for the back wall that was a bright blue with a white paisley design sprawling across it. The room was brightly lit by the extensive windows that ran along one side of the room and flooded it with light. There was a tall antique looking chests of drawers and a matching vanity on one side of the room and on the other a door painted the same blue as the wall leading to what Ginny assumed was a closet. Off to one side in a sizable alcove was situated a miniature sitting area with a window seat and two blue chairs that matched the walls and a round coffee table. The alcove also led out onto a balcony that stretched the length of the room. The main focus of the room was a gigantic four poster bed that was draped in beautiful lace curtains. The bedspread like the rest of the upholstery matched the accent wall.

It was perfect.

"Oh Narcissa! It's beautiful!"

The older woman laughed. "Don't thank me that was all the magic of the Manor but I'm very glad you like it!"

"I truly do."

"Unfortunately the bathroom is already set to Draco's taste."

"Draco?"

"Yes, the first door we passed was his. The whole manor is filled with these sort of Jack and Jill bedroom sets. Because so many pureblood marriages are arranged it just makes it easier. This way if you had never met your groom and or you are just marrying him for money you don't actually get forced into a more intimate relationship then you are have to."

Ginny wrinkled her nose at the idea of sharing a bathroom with Draco but she understood the need to keep a couple fairly close under more normal circumstances. "That makes sense I guess."

"yes, I;m sure that this make you uncomfortable. All I can say is that at least there is a spell in place so that Draco cant enter your room from the bathroom entrance unless you verbally give him permission."

"what do you mean?"

"you have to actually say that he can enter or he can get no farther then the threshold you though can go into his room at anay point you like. It is a rather handy trick."

"Why's that?"

"We have found over the generations that it cuts down on infidelity if the wife can walk directly into her husband's room at any point."

"That is a very valid point."

"Alright well I suppose that's all we need to do up here. We best head back down and help Salvia and Hallie finish up the invitations."

"Quickly, when do you suppose I could move in?"

"Well now that the room is waiting for you any time you please I'd expect. How about we send some houseelves to help get your stuff next weekend?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

"Lovely."

Narcissa nodded then carefully locked the door with a spell and the two women then turned and headed back down the stairs to the parlor to join their nuptial coconspirators still hard at work.

* * *

Hey everyone,

So thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and thanks to all my readers who are enduring the long waits. It really means a lot to me. Keep it up!

Let me know what you thought of this chapter and I'm pretty sure they're gonna finally get married in the next chapter!

Care


	12. Grecian Holiday

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 12: Grecian Holiday

* * *

Ginny collapsed in her chair on Wednesday after several hours of healing and glanced at her watch. Bloody hell! She was late for lunch with Hallie and Luna. She quickly grabbed her cloak and headed out of the building.

Ten minutes later she entered restaurant where the three had agreed to meet. Hallie had beat her and was standing there waiting. "Hey Hal, sorry I'm late."

"No problem." The taller woman said. "I figured you both would be late. I just got here myself."

Hallie obviously knew her too well. "Have you gotten a table?"

"No I was waiting for two out of three." She walked and requested a table from the maître-d.

He was about to seat them when, "Hello lovelies!" a deep sexy voice cut through the restaurant. Ginny and Hallie spun around to face Blaise Zabini holding the door open for his girlfriend who had a greatly chagrined expression on her face.

Luna walked up to her two friends and kissed them both in greeting. "Sorry," she said as she stepped back. "He found Gin's owl and insisted on coming along even though I told him it was girls only." She wacked Blaise hard in the chest.

He simply smirked at her as if not at all fazed. "How could I ever allow the opportunity to have tea with the three most beautiful women in the world to pass me up?" Blaise glanced down at them through his beautiful, thick dark eyelashes and flashed all of them a perfect smile.

"And that is why he got to come." Luna huffed. "Manipulative little bastard has got my number. He is too bloody gorgeous for my own good."

Ginny threw an arm around her friend's shoulders as they followed the man to their table. "Don't worry love; you have held up pretty well considering what you have had to put up with. Nearly five years of Blaise and all his tricks would be too much for any other woman."

"It's true. I'm the only one he has ever gotten to stick around. I blame you by the way."

"Me?" Ginny asked incredulously. "What did I do?"

"You had the indecency to set me up with that." She gestured at her boyfriend's back as they reached the table.

Blaise turned around and pulled out a chair for Luna. "That, my love, was the best thing that ever happened to you."

Luna sat down in the chair and rolled her eyes. "How long do we have to deal with you?" she asked as she watched him pull out the chairs for her two friends as well, the perfect pureblood man as always.

"Just for one cup of tea. I have my own luncheon appointment thank you ma'am." After the ladies were seated he swiped a chair from the table next to them and sat down dangerously close to Luna and setting one hand on her inner thigh.

"Thank the gods." Luna said smacking his hand away. "Let's have the bloody tea so we can have some peace."

Half an hour later Blaise kissed his girlfriend on the forehead and bid her friends goodbye, heading off to for his mystery lunch appointment.

Luna took a sip of the tea that had just been refilled and now turned her attention to Hallie. "So my love," she said in a light voice addressing the other blond. "How much of our story have you squeezed out of this one thus far?"

"Oh dear lord god! I have been trying every freaking waking hour but she will barely tell me anything!"

Luna shot Ginny a small look of annoyance. "I'm not surprised. It took me a year and a half just to get her to acknowledge that they even had a real relationship at all after the whole thing blew up. For some reason this crazy convinced herself that it had never really happened somehow."

"Well she is a determined little… bugger." The American laughed. The classically British slang word sounded slightly awkward falling from her lips, as most do, but both women agreed that it was appropriate for the situation.

During this whole exchange Ginny said nothing. She simply sat back in her high backed chair and eyed her two friends with a general look of distaste. She was not surprised this conversation was happening; in fact she had expected Hallie to seek Luna out a long time ago and now that it was taking place she was sure that neither one would stop until the whole story had been made known.

"Alight," Luna said twisting her long golden hair into a knot at the top of her head. It was quite obvious that she was preparing herself for some major secret dishing. "How much has she actually told you?"

"We last ended when you all began summer break. She was mostly pretty vague about it, just that you and Blaise peaced out and gave them some time to talk and they agreed to send each other letters which she wouldn't show me."

"Don't feel too bad, I've never seen them either. Ok so you made it through summer hols, did she tell you much about Greece?"

A confused look passed over Hallie's perfect features. "Greece?"

Luna turned a murderous eye on Ginny.

"What?" the redhead asked skeptically.

"You didn't tell her anything about Greece?" Luna accused.

"No," Ginny responded unabashedly. "That's so much more your story than mine I figured I would let you tell it when you got around to it."

"But you were there too."

"Yes but I'm not the one who lost my virginity on the beach of that remote little island am I?" Ginny smirked.

Hallie's eyes widened. "Wait! Pause! Rewind! What happened? Last I heard you and Blaise were just beginning to tolerate each other on the train? How did you get from there to having sex on the beach in Greece?"

Luna flushed pink. "It wasn't actually on the beach… it was in a bungalow."

"Oh it was a bungalow on the beach. It is the same difference and you know it!" Ginny fired back. She liked the way this was turning out. In less than a minute all the spotlight had shifted from her past to Luna's and with any luck the remainder of lunch it would stay there.

"I don't care about the semantics of the location I want to hear the bloody story!" Hallie interrupted.

"Fine," Luna conceded. "But only so that when we get around to finishing what happened with Ginny and Draco you won't be confused when it comes to the shift with Blaise and me. I'm just going to give you the most important events. I was there for two weeks so a lot actually went on. It all started on the train ride after we left Gin and Drae for their quiet time…"

* * *

"_Lovegood you shall never win." Zabini said with a murderous look in his eyes. _

"_Oh bring it on Zabini, I can totally take you."_

_He narrowed his eyes shrewdly at her. "We shall see madam…. Got any 2's?"_

"_Go fish!" Luna said in triumph before collapsing into giggles. "Who would have ever thought that this would have happened?"_

"_What us hiding in the luggage compartment playing a dumb muggle card game while our respective best friends snog each other senseless in the much more comfortable train car?"_

"_No, us having a decent time together." She smiled sheepishly at him and self-consciously twisted a long blond strand around her finger. _

_He smiled at her. "I don't know, I had pretty much decided that it was inevitable once Ginny and Draco became official."_

"_That is true I suppose. And as of late you haven't even been your normal smarmy self so spending time with you has even been bearable."_

"_Oh why thank you so much." He said sarcastically. _

_She flashed him an evil grin. "You're ever so welcome."_

_Sometime later they both cleaned up the area in which they had been hiding away and headed back to their normal compartment to gather all their things._

_As they were walking they chatted about their various summer plans. Luna was to intern at her father's magazine for a few months, a sort of grooming to prepare her for when she would be editor in chief while Blaise was going to be splitting his summer between his family home in Northern England and their villa on a Grecian island. _

"_Oh how boring!" Luna said sarcastically. "Grecian beaches, Grecian women and no little me to keep you company." _

_Just then the train hit a bump and Luna squealed as she almost fell to the floor. She was caught though by a pair of strong arms and glanced up to see Blaise's bright blue eyes staring down into her own making her head spin. "I know. I don't know what I am going to do without you." He said quietly. The look in his eyes caused Luna's breath to catch in her chest. He straightened them both and then released her. "I have gotten so used to having you around to harass. It will be a hardship." He flashed her an evil grin, all traces of whatever emotion that was just there completely gone. _

_Luna took a second and then recovered. "I'm sure." She rolled her eyes and slid open the door to their compartment. _

_

* * *

_

Knock knock knock

_Luna glanced up from the book she was reading. It was nearly a month into summer and this was the first day that she had not been sent on errands for her father or had had to proof read some article for the Quibbler so she was taking full advantage of the momentary peace. _

_She had spent the entire day curled up in her favorite chair in the living room of her home catching up on her pleasure reading. The annoying knock was the first disruption she had encountered. Was someone actually disturbing her pleasant alone time? Maybe if she just didn't move then the person would go away._

_Knock knock knock _

_It came again. Guess not. She slowly rose from her chair and slowly crossed the room to answer the door. As soon as she had turned the knob it burst open and a red blur burst by her in a flash of energy. _

_Shell shocked Luna turned around to see Ginny jumping up and down in the middle of her living room. _

"_What are you doing?" she inquired casually. _

"_Can we please, please go? I'd love you forever and ever and ever!"_

_Luna had no idea what was going on. "What are you talking about crazy?"_

_Ginny stopped and cocked her head to the side, her bright red pony tail still swinging in from her earlier bouncing. "Greece of course."_

"_Greece?" Luna was completely confused now and she was also beginning to think that her friend might actually be starting to lose her mind just a bit, probably from lack of Malfoy exposure._

_Just then her formerly pleasant and solitary afternoon was interrupted yet again this time in the form of an incessant tapping at the kitchen window._

_Luna passed through the living room and into the kitchen to let in a beautiful, sleek black owl with a sheet of dark green parchment tied to its leg. _

_She carefully untied the parchment from its restraints and gave the owl a treat and some water. She then proceeded to unroll the scroll and was slightly surprised to see that the writing on the page was shimmering silver. Over the top done in Slytherin colors, had to be Blaise. She smiled to herself, the theatricality of that boy never ceased to amaze her._

_Dear Miss Lovegood, _

_I would be much obliged if you and Ms. Weasley would join Malfoy and myself at my Greek villa for a week of fun in the sun in two weeks time. _

_Sincerely, _

_Blaise Zabini_

_As she finished reading she glanced up at Gin who was still twitching in excitement. "Really?"_

"_Yes of course! I got a letter too from Draco asking us to come. Oh won't it be fun? A whole week at the beach in Greece with our beautiful Slytherin men!"_

_Despite herself Luna couldn't help but smile at Ginny's enthusiasm. "Don't you mean your beautiful Slytherin man and my archenemy?"_

"_Psh! You and Blaise have got to get over that. Draco and I were talking, we think you all would be such a cute couple if you could just get over yourselves. Look at Drae and I, seven generations of animosity and we are falling in love, I think you can get over the fact that you just generally dislike him."_

"_Whatever you say love." She said quickly trying to change the subject. She had wondered about that very same things many times this in the last month. "You don't have to convince me this time I'll go without a fight."_

"_Good!" Ginny jumped up and hugged her. "This is going to be a vacation we're never going to forget."_

_Luna hugged her friend back. "I hope you're right." She muttered to herself._

_

* * *

_

Two weeks later, after much fast talking and many perfectly formulated lies to all parents involved Ginny and Luna met at the middle of the large field between their two homes with their portkey charmed to take them directly to Blaise's villa.

"_You ready?"Ginny asked her friend as she approached._

"_To spend a week at the beach, yes, to spend that week with Blaise, never." Luna tossed her long blond locks over her should and grabbed a hold of the umbrella Mr. Weasley had fashioned into a portkey._

"_Yes well focus on the beach then." Ginny encouraged. She herself was more than ready to be there as was quite apparent. It had been far too long since she had spent any time with her boyfriend and the letters, while sweet, just didn't have the same effect as Draco's hard body pressed tightly against hers. "Alright here we go."_

_After the familiar tug behind the navel and much whirling around, the girls gracefully dropped into a stone courtyard facing the sea._

_The first thing that stuck Luna about Greece was how bright it was. The sun was hot and shimmering off the crystal blue ocean, the sand was dauntingly white and all the adorable little buildings that lined one side of the view were painted to match the hue of the sand. This was defiantly what paradise looked like. _

_She remained captivated by the view until she heard Ginny say "Wow." Luna spun around to see what had elicited that reaction. If she thought the view was beautiful it paled in comparison to the house. _

_The three story building towered above them. It was somehow both modern and painfully traditional with many layers, balconies and inner courtyards that gave it the appearance of a majestic sandstone labyrinth that Luna would not mind being lost in forever. _

_Ginny tugged on her arm and Luna followed, still dazed, up to the five stone stairs to a large door that was made of a glass panel fitted on either side with thick wrought iron that weaved in and out of itself, more artistry in such a simple place._

_Luna reached out and rang what appeared to be the bell. There was a small pop inside as a house elf apparated to the door to greet them. "Hello Misses, how can I be helping you?"_

"_Hi, my name is Luna Lovegood and this is Ginny Weasley. I believe Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Zabini are expecting us."_

"_Yes they is," The small elf stated with a respectful incline of the head. "If you would please be following me."_

_Still in awe of where they were the girls followed the elf into the magnificent structure. As soon as they has passed through the wrought iron and glass portal they were lead off to the right and into what appeared to be the main living area filled with dark blue furniture that really stood out against the classically white walls and glanced into a conservatory with high ceilings that allowed the afternoon sun to flood the space with bright light. _

_The elf then led them down a set of stairs into another brightly lit room that appeared to stretch the length of the house with floor to ceiling windows making up one of the long walls, the other being nestled into the hillside. From the very first glance it was apparent that this portion of the house was Blaise's domain. In the corner closest to the door there was a large antique looking bar that appeared to be both well stocked and well used. The dark green couches that were scattered around were the exact shade of the parchment she had received two weeks earlier. _

_The elf led them out onto the terrace filled with furniture and a gigantic pool. "The misses should be making themselves comfortable. The masters will be along shortly, they was going surfing this morning." With another pop the elf was gone._

_After what seemed like an eternity of her just taking in her strange and lavish surroundings Ginny grabbed her arm and sucked in a breath. Luna aimed her attention in the direction that her friend seemed to so mesmerized in and immediately saw what the source of her friend's distraction was. _

_Coming up the stairs leading down to the beach were two Greek gods holding surf boards still wet from the sea. One Luna immediately realized was Draco, anyone would recognize his pale features but the other he had long shaggy black hair that hung down into piercing blue eyes and his body was perfectly toned and tanned. It wasn't until he flashed her a mischievous smile that she recognized the gorgeous mystery man as Blaise. _

"_Hey!" Draco yelled across the patio. He dropped his gear and practically ran over to grab Ginny up and spin her around in a hug. The young couple then became lost in each other as any young couple in love who had been apart would do. _

_Blaise though took his time and magiced both their boards over to where they belonged before walking calmly over to the small group. "Hi Luna." He said quietly. _

_She was a bit taken aback to hear her first name fall from his lips. "Hi." She stammered. _

_He smiled a genuine smile at her. "Alright you two!" he then said to their friends. "You have an entire week together. Let's go get cleaned up Drae then we can all have dinner."_

"_Ok." Draco conceded tearing himself away from Ginny's body and settling for just her hand. "Come on we'll show you to your rooms on the way."_

_Luna stretched out on her towel and gazed at her friends all playing in the surf. The boys had Ginny by the hands and feet and were swinging her into the surf while she shrieked and cursed various members of their families. _

_

* * *

_

She smiled. Despite her best efforts she was having an amazing time in Greece even with Blaise's constant presence and even he seemed as though he was making a concerted effort to ensure that both of the girls were making the most of their time in Greece.

_They were already six days into their vacation and would be leaving tomorrow afternoon. Blaise had shown them the whole island and introduced them to so many of the locals who had seemed to adore them. They had been to the beach every single day and Luna was beginning to get a lovely tan. _

_She loved it here and was definitely not looking forward to going back to her grueling job at the Quibbler. _

_Just then a soaking wet Blaise relinquished his hold on Ginny's feet and came hurling back up the beach toward Luna. This could not at all be good. _

_Luna jumped to her feet as the he drew closer and she had to make a concerted effort to keep her wits about her with all the water glistening off his tanned and toned muscles. _

"_Hello Looney." He said to her with a maniacal gleam in his eye. _

"_Oh no! Don't you dare come near me Blaise Zabini! I will curse you into next week if you get me all wet!" _

_She held up her hand in order to try in what she knew would be in vain when he lunged at her and pulled her down into the sand with him laughing all the way. _

"_You arsehole!" she shrieked. _

_He said nothing just scrambled to his feet and then reached down and picked her up as if she weighed nothing at all. Slinging her over one of his broad shoulders he ran down to the surf and dumped her in the cold water. _

_Sputtering as she came up Luna had murder in her eyes. This time it was she who lunged at the tall man intent on drowning him while he laughed all the while and simply swam out of her reach. _

_Ginny couldn't help but smile knowingly at Draco. They had both observed that both Luna and Blaise had been heavily flirting with each other the entire time the girls had been in Greece. Blaise had even bought Luna a traditional Greek dress for a souvenir. They both wished that their friends would just see how much they were into each other and stop pretending to hate each other. _

_Even now when Luna was trying to be pissed with Blaise all she could do was laugh. _

_An hour or so later the whole gang packed up their things and headed back up to the villa to get ready for dinner after Draco pointed out how they did not want to incur the wrath of Blaise's houseelves. _

_This last comment caught Ginny by surprise and she asked him about it once they were seated at the table. "Drae, what did you mean about the wrath of an elf earlier?"_

_He laughed and looked at Blaise. "Houseelves are not the poor tragic creatures that Granger makes them out to be love. They serve us but mostly only do what they feel like doing which granted is almost everything we ask but sometimes they say no. they are contracted to different families but still maintain free will."_

"_Especially if they are a personal elf." Blaise chimed in rolling his eyes. _

"_Personal elf?" Luna asked. _

"_Yeah most families with elves heave lots but only one elf that becomes their personal everyday elf that deals with all their needs." Blaise explained._

"_Yeah and if you get lucky like me," Draco laughed. "Then you get an elf who is just as likely to pour the hot tea on you as she is to serve it to you." _

"_Oh really?" Ginny inquired. "Who is that?" _

"_My elf Lilith, she has spunk and has always seen it as her duty to put me in my place at all times using any means necessary which usually means a smack to the back of the head."_

_Ginny laughed. "I think I like her."_

"_Yeah, you would and Lily would like you too. You would both have fun ganging up on me."_

_They continued on with their meal and it was all rather civil up until desert. As it was being served Blaise made the mistake of cracking a joke about the reliability of the Quibbler. _

_This of course sent Luna into defense mode so while one couple enjoyed their dessert the remaining two screamed insults at each other resulting in Luna running off the terrace down towards the beach. _

_Blaise threw himself back into his chair, brooding. After a few minutes he looked up and noticed that neither of his friends had moved at all or even seemed all that effected by the scene that had just played out before them. "Aren't you going to follow her?" Blaise asked Ginny. He found he was concerned about Luna even though he was the one who upset her so he didn't understand why._

"_No," Ginny said as she took another bite of the mousse and turned to Draco. "This is so good." She said offhandedly to him._

_Blaise was outraged at both of their behavior. They really weren't going to do anything to make sure she was not throwing herself off the rock wall and plummeting to an overdramatic death. He shoved away from the table and headed off the terrace down to the beach to check on her himself not seeming the knowing smile Ginny gave Draco as he stomped off._

_He saw her tiny figure sitting in the sand just to the left of the bungalow with her knees drawn up to her chest and her long golden hair reflecting the moonlight. She was so beautiful, damn it. _

_He walked up and stood silently just behind her not wanting to disturb her peaceful trance._

"_What do you want Blaise?"_

"_How did you even know it was me?"_

"_Because Ginny would have sat down next to me and Draco would never have come, he would leave me alone." _

_He didn't respond. He didn't know what to say or even why he had come down there in the first place. He felt bad about being rude. He moved over so that he was standing in front of her, "I came to apologize for being an arse earlier."_

"_Really?" she said in a disbelieving tone. _

"_Yes."_

"_Why?"_

_He stood there staring at her, the halo of gold around her slightly tanned face, her blue eyes full of disbelief, curiosity and trust. He knew why he was here but he just needed to find the courage to say it. "Because I love you."_

_Luna's mouth fell open and for a moment all she could do was stare. "I don't understand." She stammered._

"_I. Love. You. Which part of this is difficult?" he laughed at her. "You are impossible, headstrong, bratty, always nagging at me for one thing or the other, putting up some kind of fight to something I am doing…"_

"_I do not!" Luna tried to interrupt pushing herself up off the sand. _

"_Don't interrupt me!" Blaise asserted over her. "There's another thing, you are a bigger know it all than Granger and have no problems voicing you damn opinions." He backed away from her and screamed into the night. "You make me so furious all the time… but, despite it all, I just can't seem to get enough of you."_

_Luna stared at him with her mouth hanging open. She and Blaise had always verbally sparred but she had never seen him display so much emotion, ever. He looked so fantastic, his face set in a serious expression and his blue eyes smoldering with anger and lust as he stared directly at her. _

"_I... I love you too." she stammered quietly. _

"_What?" he said moving closer and leaning in to hear her soft voice. _

"_I love you too Blaise."_

"_Oh thank the gods." He said with a big smile before pulling her in to kiss her softly on the lips._

_

* * *

_

Blaise slowly came back to consciousness. He wrapped himself more securely around the warm form that was cuddled up against his chest without even opening his eyes.

_He felt a soft pair of lips press against his skin. He hummed in happiness and opened his eyes to find he was almost nose to nose with a very naked Luna Lovegood. "Am I still dreaming? Because if I am then I don't think I'm going to wake up."_

_She smiled at him and tentatively kissed him on the lips. "No, I don't think you're dreaming right now love."_

"_Wow… so was the best night of my life real too?"_

_Luna blushed and tried to bury her head in the blanket._

_Blaise laughed and pulled her back up to him. "No. Come back." He insisted. He successfully pulled her hands away from her face and kissed her squarely on the lips effectively melting her residence. She sighed into his mouth. "Yep," he said confidently as he pulled away. "It was real." _

_She blushed and tried to wiggle away from him. Once she escaped she began to search out her clothes finding them scattered across the sandy area directly surrounding the bungalow. When she was finally finished dressing she turned around to find a slightly wrinkled yet gorgeous Blaise reclining where she had left him now fully dressed. _

_He patted the space beside him and she willingly went and sat down. _

_He kissed her on the lips and then let his lips trail down her neck and over to her shoulder. Not even removing his lips from her skin he asked, "Will you spend another week with me?"_

_She looked down at him astonished, "Really?"_

"_Yes, really. I was serious last night. I really think I am in love with you Luna. I've been with so many other girls and never cared about them at all and even before I was with you I loved being around you and dreaded you leaving the room which was so weird seeing as I thought I hated you. But now I realized I just want to be with you if you'll let me."_

_Luna closed her eyes and tried to hold back the feeling of tears at the corners of her eyes. For better or for worse she wanted to be with him more than anything else in the world. Reopening her eyes she smiled down at him. Laying her forehead against his she smiled at him and said, "Yes." _

_They went back up to the house hand in hand to find Draco and Ginny both already up and packed. _

"_Well nice of you two to join us." Draco said with a smirk before receiving a smack from Ginny. "Ow!" he cried. "What was that for?"_

"_Shut up love." Ginny said leaning over and kissing him on the cheek before getting up from the table and grabbing Luna by the arm. She then proceeded to drag her into the house before turning on her and saying simply "Spill."_

_Luna blushed but did as commanded. "Oh Gin! It was so amazing. When he came down I thought I couldn't hate a person more but then he went off on this rant about how he was in love with me and every one of my bad qualities just made him love me more. Before I knew it we were kissing and then we were snogging in the bungalow and then we made love in the bungalow. It was so beautiful."_

"_Pause." Ginny said with a strange expression on her face. "Rewind to the part about having sex! Luna, are you crazy?" _

_Luna couldn't help but beam at her friend. "Yeah I think so. It happened though and I wouldn't change it for the world. Ginny I think I love him too and he's asked me to stay another week with him. I'm going to do it."_

"_Seriously?" Ginny asked one eyebrow raised._

_Luna was a bit crestfallen by her friend's disbelief but she held firm. "Seriously."_

"_Alright," Ginny said with a big smile. "Tell me who you need me to lie to."_

_Luna threw her arms around Ginny. "Oh I knew I could count on you."_

_

* * *

_

Four days later Luna woke up in Blaise's bed and looked around. Blaise was nowhere in sight but she assumed he would be back soon so she would take this opportunity to explore. This was the first time they had ever been in his room and she had not been able to examine it very well due to other distractions when they had come in here the night before.

_This was the inner domain of Blaise, where he kept his most personal items, so naturally she wanted to look around. She scooted out of the large bed, taking the navy blue sheet with her and began to explore. She looked in his closet and saw the perfectly pressed clothes that so defined Blaise, she saw his Quidditch and surfing gear in one corner of the room, his bookshelf full of novels and magical books. Everything was neat but with a slightly wild unkempt air, just like their owner. What most attracted her attention though was his desk that was covered in wizarding pictures. She saw pictures of Blaise, Draco and their friend Theodore Nott, some of the Quidditch team and him flying and one formal portrait with his parents whom she had seen two years ago at the world cup. _

_She was still looking at the pictures when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. _

"_Normally I don't let people in my room because I don't like them snooping around but I think just this once I'll make an exception."_

_Luna smiled and replaced the picture in her hands. "Where'd you go sir?" she inquired._

"_Into town. I figured I'd take a tip from Draco and bought you this." He pulled out a silver necklace with a turquoise and diamond three tiered pendent and fastened it around her neck. _

"_Blaise! No, you shouldn't have done this."_

"_I figured you'd say that. That is the only thing I like about Slytherin girls, they don't just accept gifts they expect them. All other girls feel they need to do something to deserve them. You are amazing and beautiful and I wanted to get something worthy of you as a souvenir from our time together."_

_Luna didn't know what to say. There was nothing she could do really after what he had said, and it really was beautiful so instead she decided to just drop the sheet she had been using as clothing and show him how much she liked the necklace which was just fine with Blaise. _

_

* * *

_

All too soon it was Saturday again and time for Luna to leave. They had spent the entire week trying to get to know each other as lovers and people without the ridged house distinctions being imposed on them. They both felt that this was more than just a crush or a summer fling and had decided that if they still felt the same way when they arrived back at Hogwarts then they would not try to hide their relationship from their classmates for Blaise's final year at school.

_Blaise helped Luna pack, well he was actually more of detriment then help but he was there, and all too soon they found themselves on the front terrace, a portkey in hand. _

_Blaise pulled her body to his and wrapped her in a hug. "Do you really have to go?" he said into her hair._

"_Unfortunately I do. I don't want to though believe me. If I could I would spend the rest of… my life right here with you." she blushed as she admitted to him just how much he had gotten under her skin._

_He pulled back and beamed at her. "Well maybe one day you will be able to." He lifted up her chin and kissed her softly. "I'm going to miss you so much."_

"_Me too." she said quietly leaning her forehead against his broad chest. "but we only have three more weeks till we'll be back at school."_

"_Thank gods, I'm not sure I'd survive much more. Alright you should go before I change my mind and kidnap you for longer."_

_She laughed but gave him one last kiss before stepping back and activating the portkey to take her home from the summer vacation that she truly felt had changed her life forever._

* * *

Yeah so this one is super long so I chopped it in half and it was still long. Couldn't help it. I hope you at least enjoy it. I did. I'll give you the other half in a few days.

Let me know what you think. Anything and everything. I love the feedback.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!

Care


	13. Engagement Rings

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 13: Engagement Rings

* * *

Draco sat back in his chair and took off the sleek designer reading glasses that had become a necessity in the last year or so. He rubbed his hand over his tired eyes before staring back at the large pile of paper that still lay before him. He had expense reports to do, transaction forms to file and event planning still left to do today but unfortunately it was lunch time which meant he had to leave his work unattended and go and meet his constant ball and chain, his best friend Blaise Zabini.

Blaise had owled him yesterday evening and informed Draco that he had no choice but to sacrifice his lunch hour to be at Blaise's beck and call. Typical overly dramatic Blaise, only he could come up with a statement like that.

So despite his better judgment, Draco had agreed. He pushed back from his desk and stretched out his long limbs as he stood. He wasted no time in heading straight to his building's apparition point pausing only to grab his cloak. The sooner he got to Blaise the better; gods only know how long the bugger would need him.

When he arrived at the Leaky Caldron he immediately found Blaise seated at their normal booth in the back corner where the pair met at least once a week for lunch.

"Ah Draco! You're here! Look what I found while I was waiting." The darker man said gesturing to the other side of the booth.

There in the flesh sat Draco's other best friend Theodore Nott.

"Theo!" Draco said enthusiastically as the other man stood to embrace him.

"Hey mate. How you been? I heard I got drafted for a wedding I didn't even know was happening. What is all that about? Getting married and your best mate finding out from the Daily Prophet. That is bang out of line."

Draco rose up his hands in mock surrender. "I'm so sorry. You are right, I should have owled you to have lunch weeks ago. It's all kind of spur of the moment anyway as I'm sure Blaise has told you."

"Yeah you know good old Blaise give him five minutes and you can find out all of the inner most workings of the ministry defense."

Blaise gestured rudely at his friends before standing and tossing a galleon down on the table for their drinks and extravagant tip. "Alright let's go then."

"Wait, what about lunch?" the blond man said in a voice that sounded particularly like he was whining.

"You should have been here earlier."

"What do you mean? I'm ten minutes early you wanker."

"We are on a very important mission today mates. No time for eating. Plus I already had tea with the girls so I have no need." He smirked.

Theo and Draco exchanged a look. This was classic Blaise so it was not as if either of them could be surprised by the behavior. Seems as if they would both be grabbing something to take back to the office later. They followed their insane friend out of the restaurant and out back into Diagon Alley.

"So a couple things Blaise, what are we doing and what girls did you have lunch with?" Draco asked in a bored tone as the trio headed down the street.

"Don't be daft Drae, Luna, Ginny and Hallie of course."

"Oh you mean the bains of all our existences?" Theo chimed in slinging an arm around each of his friend's necks.

"Well maybe of you and Draco's but I actually love my girlfriend."

"Wait," Draco interrupted. "Assuming that we each have our own, how do you know Hallie?"

"She is my partner at work. Beautiful and lethal, that girl would intentionally let one of the curses we work so hard to break get me if I don't pay complete attention. She kind of hates me for no reason."

"I'm sure she has a reason." Blaise muttered which caused Theo to release his hold on Draco and attempted to choke his friend right there in the middle of the street.

Draco simply smirked as he watched his friends' display. It really was incredible how the three of them had become such good friends. They were so different yet were the only ones who could truly stand each other.

It was as if they were a spectrum, ranging from him at one extreme to Blaise at the other with Theo always firmly in the middle. In colouring: Blaise's dark Mediterranean features, Theo's medium brown hair and green eyes, and his own constantly pale features, personality: he stoic and relatively calm according to most and Blaise's over the top theatrics with Theo somewhere in between, and even in lifestyles, Blaise had been in a committed relationship for what seemed like forever, Theo in and out of relationships both real and simply physical and of course his intentional serial dating. They made quite the threesome when put together.

"Alright children," Draco finally intervened. "Don't we have things to do?"

"Yes!" Blaise said as he shoved Theo off and straightened his cloak. "We really do. I need your opinions on something very important."

"We're listening." Theo said.

"I want to ask Luna to marry me."

"Do it!" they both said simultaneously causing several people in the street to give them strange looks. These three famous Slytherins all out at once made many people uncomfortable even though any threat was long gone.

Everyone in the wizarding world knew Luna Lovegood and Blaise Zabini were the perfect couple and had been for years and now unbeknownst to anyone he was finally going to make it official.

Blaise laughed out loud. "That wasn't what I wanted the opinion on you idiots. I know for sure that I am finally going to do it. I should have asked her years ago but I just finally worked up the nerve. No I want you to help me pick out the perfect ring. We have a dozen Zabini family antiques in the vault at Gringotts that I have asked to be laid out for us and if none of those work we need to go over to the jewelers but I really want to give her a family heirloom. She likes old jewelry and it will really piss my mother off."

"Of course we'll help you mate, wont we Drae?"

"Yeah Blaise." Draco assured as he clapped the man on the back. "Lead the way. Let's go find Looney the most perfect engagement ring ever."

They entered the bank and were shuffled by one of the goblins into a small, dimly lit room off to one side with dark green walls and a table stretching almost the entire length with chairs all around it. Laid out on the table directly under a brightly glowing lamp were a dozen or so gemstone rings on a black velvet cloth ready for the three men to examine.

Forty-five minutes later the trio had finally agreed on exactly which ring out of the selection would be perfect for Luna. They had chosen a gold band with a huge emerald cut diamond in the center with two yellow diamonds on either side. It was classic just like Luna and she would love it.

Once this errand was finished Draco caught his friends' attention before stood up to leave.

"Hey mates will you wait up one minute? I want to run down to our jewelry vault. This has gotten me thinking, Ginny doesn't have a ring and I think it would make the whole charade a little more believable if she did."

"Well do you just want one of these?" Blaise asked gesturing at the pile.

"Nah I actually know which one she would like I just need to go down and grab it. It will take me fifteen minutes tops." He said as he stood and removed a key ring with several tiny gold keys hanging from it from his pocket.

"Ok, well we'll wait here." Theo said.

"Thanks. Be right back. Blaise why don't you fill Theo in on what has been going on with me and beautiful, demure fiancé." He said sarcastically over his shoulder as he exited the small dark room.

Draco rode down to his family's vault section in one of the carts and stopped off at vault 582 also known as the Malfoy Family Jewels vault. He flipped to the correct key and inserted it into the door. After hearing the soft click and swung open the heave vault door to reveal a good size room with many sets of jewelry cabinets and other jewel encrusted items strewn about.

He walked over to the chest of drawers which housed all of the rings that had been collected by the Malfoy women. Opening it he quickly checked the first few drawers for the ring he sought with no luck. When he reached the fifth drawer he found the ring he sought.

It had a platinum band that was jewel encrusted half way around. The stone in the center was a one carat princess cut diamond surrounded by tiny alternating diamonds and sapphires.

It had been his great, great grandmother's twenty-fifth wedding anniversary present and was at the same time simple and gaudy. He had decided when he and Ginny were together in school that if, or as he believed at the time when, he and Ginny got around to getting engaged this would be the ring he would give her. Well now, despite the ironic twist of events, at least he would get to give the ring that he had always felt she should have had.

He carefully removed the ring and placed it in one of the ring boxes that he found lying around the room before exiting and making his way back up to his friends, the ring safely in his pocket for the next time he saw his so called fiancé.

* * *

Luna sat back in her chair once again. Her story now complete she was exhausted. How did Ginny do this all the time? Recall all these tiny details that she didn't even remember existed? Wow.

Hallie seemed to be in awe of what was yet another interesting installment into her friends' pasts and was beginning to believe that being an American she missed out on quite the adventure not going to Hogwarts. "That is all so sweet. I want a story like both of yours. I am so ready to fall in love."

"Aww Hal! It's not that fun believe me. Just a lot of sappy conversations and annoying boys around all the time." Ginny assured her.

"That's ok with me! Promise!"

"So can we talk about Ginny now?" Luna suddenly asked.

"No Looney this was more than enough story telling for one day."

"Oh you are just saying that because you have enjoyed the conversation not focusing on you for once. Don't think you fooled me, I see what you did there."

"See what who did where?" a deep silky voice invaded the conversation.

Ginny spun around to see Blaise, Draco and another man enter the café. She inadvertently sucked in a deep breath at seeing Malfoy all dressed up in one of his sleek business suits. He looked fabulous. Damn him.

Despite her finance's presence the other man drew her attention. He was several inches shorter than Draco which wasn't surprising and just taller than Blaise. His build was more muscular than either of the other two men, more of a beater than a chaser or seeker. His chestnut brown hair was spiked up into a perfectly sculpted mess that suited him well and his eyes, which were a deep green, were focused entirely on Hallie.

"Hello." He said quietly to her as if almost transfixed.

"Nott." Her roommate replied in a voice that was almost cold.

So this was the infamous Theodore Nott that she had heard so much about as of late, Hallie's description did not even begin to do the man justice. They would have to speak about that later.

"Hello ladies." Blaise greeted them bring her attention back to the collective group as he stole a table from another table and set it down between Hallie and Luna.

"Oh you are back." Luna said in a falsely upbeat voice.

"That's because I know how much you missed me love." He gave her a cheeky grin before leaning over and kissing her squarely on the mouth.

Luna began to protest but was quickly distracted.

"I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Theo, your flat mate's partner and your other groomsman." He said giving Ginny a dazzling smile that normally would have made her weak at the knees if not for the blond presence looming over her.

"Well I'm assuming that you already know that I am Ginny Weasley then. It's so nice to finally meet you!" Ginny said sincerely. "Neither of these buggers have told me all that much about you so we will have to get to know each other soon."

"I agree whole heartedly."

Finally the waiter brought over extra chairs which both Draco and Theo gracefully sat down in, Draco between Luna and Ginny opposite Hallie and Theo occupying the remaining spot. "Hello." He said to Hallie, awarding her with a genuine smile.

"Draco!" the overly enthusiastic American enthused pointedly avoiding the man beside her. "How lovely to see you again! How are you holding up against the wrath for favorite little Weasley?" her question was punctuated by a sharp thud under the table and a pained expression flitting across Hallie's face from what Draco assumed was Ginny kicking her roommate. This promptly caused Theo to snicker awarding him a death glare.

Draco smirked at the lovely blond woman. "I'm still alive so that's a plus." He too received a murderous look this time from the feisty redhead.

Luna could see this situation having the potential to escalate tried to diffuse it by asking, "What have you boys been up to all afternoon?"

"None of your business my dear." Blaise said with a cheeky grin.

Luna raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh don't worry love you will find out soon enough." He said laughing before continuing on the conversation in a completely different direction.

As the conversation continued Draco leaned towards Ginny and asked in a low voice. "So have you picked out your dress yet?"

His normal conversational tone confused Ginny. The last time she had seen this man they had been in an incredibly heated argument and now he was trying to have a normal conversation with her. Was this his method of offering an olive branch? She supposed it must be. "No," she answered cautiously. "We are meeting with your mother on Friday to get the dresses."

"Oh alright." He looked as if he was about to say something else but just then the waitress walked up.

"Can I get you gentleman anything?" she asked flashing all three of the attractive men a brilliant smile.

"No we're fine." Blaise said.

"Oy! Speak for yourself mate!" Theo interrupted. "If you ladies don't mind, Drae and I didn't get a chance to eat because of this slave driver."

"Well then by all means," Luna said gesturing to the table. "I'm so sorry about him. I know I am preaching to the choir in tell you two this but Blaise only thinks about himself 95% of the time and the other 5% he thinks about me so you two are shit out of luck."

"You are correct as usually Looney." Draco commented before ordering himself food.

Ten minutes later the two men were both enjoying sandwiches and all six were happily engaged a fairly civil conversation led by Blaise and Luna.

"So Hallie," Blaise inquired casually. "Why exactly do you hate Theo here?"

"Because his existence is a pain in my ass." Hallie responded immediately without a second thought.

"Hey!" Theo interrupted. "I don't think that is very fair, I never did anything to you."

"Except ask to get paired with me." She fired back.

"Yeah sure I asked, I didn't insist or pull any strings. So sue me if since we had to have partners anyway and I asked for the prettiest and most talented one."

Hallie narrowed her eyes at him in an untrusting way but Ginny could tell that she was genuinely shocked by what he had said.

This time it was Draco who surprisingly diffused the situation. "Well I think we have all greatly exaggerated out lunch breaks." He rose from the table and pulled Ginny's chair back for her. "Might I walk you back to the hospital Ms. Weasley?"

Ginny was genuinely surprised by his request. She wasn't sure that she should accept seeing as the last time he had taken her on a helpful walk they had ended up screaming at each other but the last thing she wanted to do was to destroy this tentative peace. "Umm... Yes, thank you."

The two bid their friends good bye and broke away from the group. The slowly walked in the direction of St. Mungo's

"So," Draco began tentatively. He felt very awkward trying to address her after this past weekend. "How was your morning?"

"Busy as always." She smiled at him. "Such is the life of a healer though."

"Especially of St. Mungo's most famous and well known healer." He placed his hand on the small of her back as they navigated their way through a particularly crowded section of alley.

"Well I don't know about all that." she replied sheepishly.

"But the rest of the wizarding world does." He assured her smiling down at her.

They passed through the Leaky Cauldron in relative silence receiving many knowing and curious stares from the patrons and a little wink from Tom on their way by.

When they exited onto the muggle side of the street Ginny expected Draco's demeanor to change and become defensive as he always had before but after a quick glance at him he seemed completely at ease on the muggle street. "You seem more comfortable in muggle London then you used to be." She commented.

He smirked down at her and said, "Yes, that tends to happen when you live in muggle London for a year."

Ginny raised one eyebrow at him. "Really? When was that pray tell?"

"The year after I graduated I didn't want to live in the same house as my father, so I left. I got a flat right… there." He explained pointing to a nice looking building a hundred metres or so down the street.

"Wow Draco, that was unexpected." She was impressed but doing her best to hide it.

"Yeah well it is nothing special."

As they reached the hospital Ginny expected her strangely accommodating fiancé to break off from her and return to… well whatever he does during the day but instead he followed her right up to the window front and through the barrier into the hospital.

The lobby was bustling as it always was, full of patients waiting to be seen or told where to go. Ginny was becoming a bit uncomfortable with her shadow prancing through this high traffic area filled with all sorts of witches and wizards who would be all too happy to tell everyone they knew that they had seen the future Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy wandering about.

Ginny hurriedly ushered Draco over to the elevator and punched the button that would take them to her floor.

She tried in vain to get him into her office without anyone noticing but the gorgeous blond man who was looking around interestedly did not escape the notice of Ginny's assistant.

Mrs. Coe made a beeline for the couple, eager to introduce herself to her boss's beau. "You must be Mr. Malfoy." She said in a voice that was much kinder than the one she normally spoke to Ginny with.

Draco for once lowered his self righteous airs and smiled at the woman. "That I am. And you must be Mrs. Coe, Ginny's amazing assistant. She speaks of you all the time."

Mrs. Coe beamed at him before exchanging a few more pleasantries and allowing the couple to escape to the office.

Ginny practically pushed Draco into the room and slammed the door shut. She leaned back against it and took a deep breath. "Alright Malfoy, what are you trying to pull? How did you know her name?"

Draco looked at her confused. He had already begun to poke around Ginny's office and play with all the various personal knick knacks that she had strewn about. "I'm not trying to pull anything Red. I remembered her name from when you mentioned it that first morning you met my mother. I simply came up here with you because it looks good, I need to meet the people you work with eventually for this ruse to work don't I? Oh and I have a present for you."

"Present?" she asked warily as she crossed the room to sit behind her desk.

"Yes ma'am. I went by the Malfoy vault this afternoon and picked this up for you. I thought you would like it and it works with the whole engagement concept." He pulled the ring box out of his pocket and placed it on the desk in front of her before casually sitting down in one of the chairs opposite her.

Ginny raised an eyebrow in questioning before carefully reaching out and grasping the small black velvet box. "I don't know about this."

"Oh just open it. You can reject it then."

She opened the box and inside laid the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It appeared to be platinum with a band that was jewel encrusted almost all the way around her finger. The stone in the center was a princess cut diamond of which she assumed was about one carat and it was surrounded tiny diamonds and sapphires in an alternating pattern. She knew she should immediately close the box and reject the ring but she couldn't resist trying it on.

She slowly removed the ring and slid it onto her left ring finger. It was a perfect fit, no magical resizing needed. "Wow. Draco it is beautiful."

He smiled at her, a genuine smile. Watching her face light up as she stared at the ring had been fun. She truly looked beautiful. It seemed he had been right about Ginny's taste in jewelry "I thought you might like it." He ventured, still a bit worried that she might reject it. "It was my great, great grandmother's. Her husband gave it to her for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary."

"I really do. Are you sure your family would be ok with me wearing it? I mean it is a family antique after all."

He smirked. Well at least she wasn't going to fight him. "Of course they won't care. They'll probably actually be proud of me for once for taking the initiative to progress our little scheme. With a rock like that people with definitely question us less. Plus they like you better than me."

"well alright." Ginny said with a smile. "I guess I could lower myself to wear it for the good of the ruse and I very much doubt that they like me better than you. I am the hired help remember."

"Oh how magnanimous of you." Draco joked right along with her. "And you are the successful, beautiful, famous hired help whom they all adore, so yes, they like you better than me."

Ginny rolled her eyes at him but smiled. "Thank you Draco."

He just smirked at her in an effort to brush off the gesture. "Alright well I best be off. I'm sure we both have a lot to do before we get to retire for the evening, especially with our overly long lunch."

"Oh bloody hell." Ginny said massaging her temples. "I don't even want to think about it. I'll probably be here till at least 8 o'clock and then I still have to finish packing."

"That's right. You're moving in this weekend aren't you?"

"Yes, Saturday is when your mother is sending over a few houseelves to currier my things."

"Well let me know if you need any extra help. I'll be around all day." He said as he crossed over to the door.

"Thanks." She said as he opened the door and left, closing it behind him.

Wow that had been surreal. This was probably the longest period of time where they had been civil to each other without anyone else around forcing them to. Plus he had given her an engagement ring. What an interesting afternoon this had turned out to be.

* * *

On Friday Hallie and Ginny, along with Luna met Narcissa and Salvia for lunch in order to pick out the dresses that all three women would be wearing.

The Malfoy women passed right by Madame Malkins and escorted the others to an exclusive dress shop at the far end of Diagon Alley of which Ginny did not even catch the name.

Inside measurements of all three were quickly taken and the desired color palette given to the designer. Within an hour and two cups of tea each the bridesmaid dresses were designed and approved.

Ginny had already decided that the eggplant purple that was one of the main accent colors among her color scheme was the best choice for her two blond attendants before coming to the shop. Once there though the designer, a short balding man with a fabulous spring in his step, ran with the color and the shapes of the women in order to create a dress that flattered both perfectly.

The end result was a strapless cut in shiny eggplant satin that molded to the body down to about the mid-thigh where it then flowed out in soft waves to just past the knee. The waist was cinched by a ribbon tied into an elegant bow whose ends hung down far enough to meet the hem line. They were just what Ginny had wanted. The man was a genius.

Once the bridesmaids were all taken care of the little man scurried back into his work room and came out with three of the most beautiful gowns for Ginny to try on. She quickly slipped into the first two which were promptly vetoed by the waiting crowd but when she tried on the third she knew, despite what the rest might say, she had found her wedding gown.

* * *

After another hour or so of the five women diligently working on the wedding details, Hallie and Ginny both apparated back to their flat building. Once they arrived Ginny decided that her next order of business would be to pack for her great move to Malfoy Manor.

More than anything she had to sort through the pig sty and decide what she should drag to the Manor and what she should just leave here for when she came back.

Narcissa had mentioned somewhere along the way that Malfoy women did quite a lot of shopping so the only clothes that Ginny needed to bring were the ones that she herself felt that she wanted and not to worry about anything to formal.

Supposedly Malfoy women never wore the same dress to an event twice so Ginny knew that her wardrobe would definitely be upgraded very soon and with the amount of cast offs she would have so would Hallie's.

After an hour or so she collapsed onto her bed in exhaustion. She had accomplished almost finding the floor in the room and was quite proud of herself. Her reward was to lay there for a bit and do nothing. Even that proved to be quite taxing though because as soon as her body stopped moving her mind began to wander right back to her most dreaded subject.

She knew exactly where she was in the story and this part was very sappy and belonged not in the real world but in what Hermione had called the classically dime store romance novels the girls would read to each other in the dorms.

Ginny slid off her bed onto the floor. She knew exactly what she was looking for as she began to rummage around underneath her bed. She was searching for her memory box. Everything truly important to her she kept safe in one place.

Her acceptance letter to the healer's program, her diplomas from both her training and Hogwarts, all her O.W.L and N.E.W.T.s results and of course all the letters Draco sent her over that summer they were together.

She finally grasped the box and slid it out. Ginny carefully lifted the lid off the box and thumbed through all the various pieces of paper that it held until she found the bundle of letters each in their own individual cream colored envelope tied together with a dark green ribbon. She carefully pulled on the ribbon to release the letters from their satin confines.

She flipped through the letters one by one before deciding which one to read.

_Dear Ginny, _

_You know what I've decided? You are the most annoying creature I have ever met! You have inserted yourself into my every action and thought. I'm not sure how much longer I can stand having to be apart from you. Thank gods there are only two weeks left in this annoying season otherwise I would probably have to come and kidnap you. Wait, that was creepy. See you've made me go completely mad. I can't believe that Potter and Thomas get to see you everyday but I have to abide with just seeing you adorable little handwriting every couple of days. Waiting for you letters is absolute torture I'll have you know. _

_I miss you Gin. I can't wait to see you on the train and take you in my arms and kiss you like you have never been kissed before just to ensure that all thoughts and memories of any other men are completely erased from you mind forever. No one but me. _

_Bloody hell woman, do you see what you have done. You have turned a Malfoy in to a blathering idiot. If you weren't so cute the mere cheesiness of this letter would be enough for me to hate you for forcing me to express my feelings. That never was my strong suit you know. Alright, I'm done._

_Love Always, _

_Your Draco_

She sighed and dropped her head into her hands. What was she doing? She hated him but she could never really hate him. Draco Malfoy had become too much a part of her when she was younger and she would never entirely be able to let him go.

She should never have agreed to this arrangement and now rather than running and hiding she was preparing to head to Malfoy Manor and marry the great git. It was just another part of her masochistic insanity.

Ginny carefully tucked the letter back into its envelope and placed it back in the box and tucked the box back under the bed. This was definitely not something that she needed to bring to the Manor for her little sabbatical.

After a bit Ginny pulled herself up off the floor and crawled back into her bed fully dressed. She felt emotionally drained. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms securely around them which brought her face to face with the ring. It was so perfect, exactly what she always wanted from the man that, if she were being honest with herself, she truly wanted it from but now the symbol was perverted into a sign of fraud. Tomorrow she would move into the Manor and one week from tomorrow she would attempt to make that fraud at least legally official.

Despite her best efforts tears started to trail down her cheeks. She was tired of pretending so she stopped. Tomorrow she would smile and play the part she was asked to play perfectly but for now all the stress she was under and all of the strange reminiscent feeling she had been trying to push to the back of her mind since this whole mess had begun she allowed to now flood her consciousness as she happily cried out her pain.

* * *

As promised here is the rest of what was the longest chapter ever but is now chapter 13. Fun fact is this one was done before the other part haha. Enjoy and review again haha.

Oh and I know I lied. Sorry. I thought they would get married in what would be chapter 12 but I decided that this all fit better plus I really wanted to bring in modern Blaise and Luna and also introduce Theo before they just randomly showed up at the wedding. No more promises but I will do my best to get them married in the next chapter.

Much love,

Care


	14. Moving In to the Manor

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 14: Moving In to the Manor

* * *

Bright and early Saturday morning there was a pop just outside Ginny's bedroom door followed by a small knock. Ginny, who had surprisingly been awake for hours doing various things, dragged herself out of bed yet again and opened the door.

"Good morning Miss. I was being sent by Mistress Narcissa to be helping you move your things to the Manor." The elf Blinky said as he peered around her to get a better look into Ginny's room. "Is you having a lot of stuff?" he asked unabashedly.

Ginny couldn't help but smile as the elf's big eyes got even wider while he surveyed the disaster zone that lay before him. He was the strangest elf she had ever met and she absolutely adored him already. "No Blinky, I actually have most of my stuff packed that I am going to take. I will come back after the wedding and clean this mess up."

His eyes lit up at her saying his name. He seemed surprised that a witch of her standard would remember the name of a house elf. "No, no, no! Blinky will help Miss Weasley clean it!"

"Oh you don't have to do that." she assured him. "I can clean it later, really."

"No." he said as he pushed his small body past her into the room. "I is a house elf. I can be doing it much faster and much better than you. You finish getting what you need and getting dressed and I be done." He then began to snap his fingers as things flew back into place.

"Wow," Ginny said. This really was the strangest elf in the world. He was completely ordering her around. "If you say so." She decided it would be best to do as the elf said

Ginny went back into the room to gather her various toiletries and clothing for the day before being shooed out of the room by the over eager little house elf. Fifteen minutes Ginny was completely finished with her morning routine and slowly walked back down the hall to her room. She was trying to give him as much time as possible without her hovering. Finally she reached her door and quietly swung it open.

He jaw dropped open in surprise at the scene before her. Her room was perfect, the cleanest it had ever been. There was nothing on the floor or bulging out of the closet. All four of her alarm clocks were stacked side by side on the table next to her bed which was actually made up for once.

"Wow Blinky!" Ginny exclaimed. "How could you have possibly done all this in that span of time?" She was flabbergasted by the speed and accuracy with which the elf had performed the daunting task that she herself barely ever attempted.

"Like I is saying I is a house elf Miss." Blinky beamed up at her in pride. "Is this all that you is taking?" he asked gesturing to a relatively small pile of boxes that had previously been scattered around the room but were now perfectly stacked and waiting to be shrunk.

"Yeah, I guess that is it." She pulled out her wand and quickly made the entire pile into a pocket sized load. Scooping it up she handed it to Blinky who willingly disapperated with the pile and instructions not to unpack anything without Ginny present.

After sending the little elf on his way Ginny exited the room and headed down the hall to Hallie's room. She knew her roommate would not yet be up but wanted to say goodbye anyway. She just felt she had to because for some reason she had this little feeling gnawing at her that after today she and her best friend would never again live together under the same roof. She knew this whole idea was preposterous, it was only a year after all, but still the feeling persisted.

Quietly opening Hallie's door she snuck into the familiar room and crossed it to stand alongside the bed. Bending down, Ginny softly kissed Hallie on the forehead.

Out in the kitchen she scribbled a note to her friend telling her that she had gone to the Manor and to owl her later. She left the note on the counter and exited the flat that she loved so much.

* * *

Draco stood awkwardly in the doorway between Ginny's room and the bathroom. He was very uncomfortable with the thought that there was somewhere in the Manor that he could not willingly enter especially considering the fact that it was the blank room that he had played in all his life. Now he stood taking in the white and blue décor that, although it did fit Ginny perfectly, seemed out of place in his haven.

"Weasley?" He called into the room. The little redhead was nowhere in sight but the large bangs and pops that had been occurring in the last few minutes assured him that she had to be in here somewhere.

"Come on in." A muffled voice called from the direction of the closet.

Draco stepped through the ward and meandered over to the source of the disembodied voice. He crossed the large room and cautiously stepped into the walk in closet to find Ginny straining on her tiptoes trying to place a large box on a shelf that was far too high for her small stature to reach.

He watched her struggle for a moment more chuckling before walking up behind her and snatching the box from her grasp. He then easily popped the box on to the shelf and then looked down into his fiancé's exasperated face.

"Jerk." She said and punched him in the stomach.

He did nothing but laugh at her. "You're welcome."

She left the closet and headed back into the main room to continue unpacking.

Draco followed her. "You didn't bring much."

Ginny glanced up in annoyance.

Draco caught the look and held his hands up in surrender. "Ok fine, I can take a hint. I'm not wanted." He began to turn to leave but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

Ginny had reached out and grabbed a hold of Draco before he could get very far. "I'm sorry Draco. I didn't get much sleep and I'm taking my bad mood out on you."

Draco studied her for a moment before grabbing one of the other boxes that Ginny had re-enlarged and laid on the bed. He opened the flaps and tried to riffle through the contents. "What's in here?"

Ginny sighed and smacked his hand before he could get too far into the box. "That's mine. I thought you said you would help me not riffle through all of my things."

"I will help. What do you want me to do madam?" he gave her a flourishing bow which made her smile.

"How about you take those three boxes there and put them next to the other one." She gestured to a stack and Draco dutifully did as he was asked.

* * *

A few hours later Draco and Ginny both exited her room and headed down to dinner. They met up with Narcissa in the main sitting room along the way and she informed them that Abraxas and Salvia were out for the evening. The trio continued on to the dining room together.

"Ginny dear, so I was thinking," Narcissa said linking arms with Ginny as they walked. "I know we were supposed to go and look at locations for the wedding on Tuesday, but what if we just had it here at the Manor? It's not as if we can't accommodate the amount of people we've invited, actually it is significantly less than the Halloween Ball in two weeks."

Ginny contemplated for a moment and said, "I actually think that is a fantastic idea Cissa. The Manor is beautiful and would be perfect."

Ginny saw Narcissa's eyes light up at her words. She could tell that the other woman was greatly enjoying the whole wedding planning process. "I was thinking that maybe the East garden would be perfect. It is large enough to handle the 72 guests but also very intimate. Oh and we could put up a lace canopy over the whole group and the ceremony can take place under an arbor decorated in the flowers we chose!"

They entered the large room and Ginny was surprised to see another person at the far end of the table. She had thought that Abraxas and Salvia would be out for the entire evening. She noticed though that at the sight of the man Draco's demeanor changed slightly. He went from his normal arrogant, confident self to a slightly diminished version of him that had she not been looking at him she might have missed. Only one person could cause Draco to lose his edge, Lucius Malfoy.

Immediately Ginny braced herself for what lay ahead. Lucius Malfoy was probably the only man she actually feared more so than even Voldemort himself. After the incident her first year at Hogwarts involving Tom Riddle's diary which Lucius had slipped into her cauldron visions of this cold calculating man had haunted her dreams.

As they approached Ginny took in the appearance and compared it with the one from her memory. He was about the same height as Draco with the same bleach blond hair and piercing silver eyes that so characterized the men of the Malfoy family. She imagined that if he were not so evil to her he might have even been handsome. Somehow this Lucius was not nearly as scary as the one in her dreams.

As they drew closer he walked up to meet them.

"Hello darling, Draco." he said in a monotone voice that sent a slight shiver down Ginny's spine. "And this must be the Miss Weasley that everyone has been up in arms about."

Surprisingly, as if he could sense her tension, Draco placed his hand on the small of her back and softly rubbed the area in support. He was well aware of how much she feared his father from their numerous conversations back in school and he desperately wanted her to make a good impression. Living with Lucius was hard enough when he did tolerate you.

Feeling Draco's silent encouragement caused Ginny to relax some. She drew on all her acting skills that she had acquired at her work and smiled up at the man. "Hello Mr. Malfoy, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

He gave her a tight smile. "Yes, my apologies for the lateness of our meeting. I have unfortunately been out of the country most of the last month. I'm appalled that I couldn't manage meet my son's first wife before she actually moved into the Manor."

"So am I." Narcissa cut in. "As I have been stressing to him for weeks."

The whole party chuckled and then the worst was over. They all sat down and had a fairly civil dinner.

* * *

Thursday night Draco returned from the gallery and trudged through the Manor up to his room. It seemed as if the last five days had absolutely flown by. What with work and being forced to participate in the wedding preparations he felt as if he was being pulled in all directions. He shrugged out of his robes and loosened his bloody tie. He really needed to change the dress code considering it was his own bloody building and he was tired of wearing such formal clothes every day.

Draco entered the bathroom and knocked on the door that led into Ginny's room. He waited for a response. When none came he swung open the door and peered in. "Weasley." He called out into the room.

Just then a bright red flash pushed past him into the bathroom and headed straight over to the counter.

"What are you doing?"

Ginny looked up briefly at him. "Oh, hi Drae. Sorry I'm just late. I'm supposed to be at my flat in ten minutes for girl's night in and I had to stay late to finish some spare paperwork. They're all going to kill me if I'm too late because tonight is my bachelorette party of sorts."

Draco was slightly stunned at the pace at which the tiny woman was speaking as she poked and prodded at her voluminous russet curls to try to force them to behave. "What are you even talking about?"

Ginny sighed in exasperation and spun to face him. "Well I suppose if we're going to be married I should actually tell you this. Thursday nights some of my friends and I get together to… well basically drink and complain about our various significant others or lack thereof. And tonight is all about you and me." She returned her attention to the mirror to do her makeup.

"Oh," was Draco's eloquent response. "I guess I will be eating alone then tonight. The rest of the family is out." He sighed and headed towards his end of the bathroom.

Ginny stood there watching him retreat and felt a pang in her chest. He actually looked genuinely upset that he would be all alone and now she felt horrible about it. "Draco wait," she hurried over to him. She couldn't believe what she was about to do it's just, he looked so pathetic, like a little lost puppy. "Would you like to come?"

"To your girls' night?" he asked. His eyes lit up slightly at the prospect.

"Yes, I mean it will be all women and we will all get very drunk but it might at least be somewhat entertaining."

"Well I don't want to intrude."

Ginny shook her head fervently. "You can't intrude somewhere you have been invited silly. Please come."

"Oh alright." He conceded although she could tell he was slightly excited.

Even though he would never admit it, Draco had always been curious about what had gone on in these little secret girls' only meetings that Ginny used to disappear off too. Now he would be the first and only male to witness their proceedings.

* * *

Draco woke up in unfamiliar surroundings. He was in a white room that was decorated entirely in purple. He was surprised to find that he was curled around a very soft, warm form that smelled absolutely fantastic.

He really wasn't sure what had happened the night before which meant he had probably gotten extremely intoxicated somehow. This was not the first time that this type of thing had happened to Draco in the last few years, usually he just waited for the headache to pass or the woman to wake up to find out exactly what had transpired.

He rolled over onto his back away from the tiny form in order to stretch out his long limbs. It was then that he noticed he was still entirely dressed. That was odd. Normally in these situations he woke up completely starkers.

The form whimpered slightly with the subtraction of his body from her own and followed the heat trying to snuggle closer to him and whispering his name softly. Well at least she actually knew who he was so that was a plus for once. Rolling back towards her he finally noticed the vibrant red curls that lay spread across her pillow and everything came crashing back.

Last night he had made the mistake of weaseling his way into joining Ginny and then proceeded to spend the entire night listening to the latest gossip about everyone they had ever known. At first all the girls had found his presence awkward. They were not used to having to censor what they said for sensitive male ears but then after the first two bottles of wine were gone it got worse because they began to treat him like one of the girls and to make matters worse he was drinking and enjoying himself just as much as they were. The evening had ended with an exceptionally intoxicated Ginny and Draco trying to floo back the Malfoy Manor with no success before giving up and just collapsing in her bed at the apartment.

He quickly separated his body from hers and jumped out of the bed. That was a mistake. He found he had a throbbing headache and the whole world began to spin before him in his hangover daze. "Bloody hell." He said a little louder than he intended. He sat back down on the edge of the bed and tried to steady himself.

"Well that was stupid." Said a voice from behind him and it was quickly followed by a giggle. "Come on Drae I'm sure you of all people should know how to handle a hangover."

Draco grimaced. She was right he should have known better than to try and stand that quickly just after waking up. That was why he normally lay in bed after nights like those but the shock of finding himself so close to her had disturbed his normal routine.

He listened as she giggle again and slowly rose from the bed, taking her time to make sure that she herself was steady. Then she crossed around to the other side of the bed and stood looking down at him. Ginny held out her hand and waited for him to take it.

Draco examined it contemplatively for a minute before deciding to just go with it. He grasped her hand and allowed her to help him slowly to his feet. They leaned on each other in order to garner more support and slowly made their way out to the kitchen to search for something to relieve their symptoms.

"Ugh," Ginny groaned as she dug through a cabinet. "There's only one vial again and I just brewed a whole new batch less than two weeks ago. We go through hangover draught faster than anything else. I guess we have to share." She uncorked the bottle and took a swig from it downing half the contents. She then replaced the cork and tossed it over to Draco at the kitchen table who finished the contents gladly.

"Where's Hallie?" he asked curiously once the edge had worn off.

Ginny walked out of the kitchen with two steaming mugs of coffee, one of which she handed to a grateful Draco. "She had to be at work early this morning but she's only working a half day because your mother has a plethora of festivities for Hal, Luna and I to partake in this afternoon."

Draco took a long drink from his steaming mug. "You don't have work?"

"Nope, I took today, Monday and Tuesday off because of the wedding so I'm a free agent for the whole morning." She smiled at him.

He nodded in understanding and then the pair fell into a companionable silence. After a few minutes Draco broke it by saying, "Would you like to go get some breakfast with me?"

Ginny was slightly stunned at the invitation. The last twenty-four hours Draco had been so out of character with the self that she had become accustomed to that he was seriously throwing her for a loop. She wasn't sure how much she actually trusted this behavior but she decided that it was probably best just to go with it and hope that this was the man that she would be living with for the next year and not the prat from two weeks ago. "Alright."

They both made their way back to Ginny's room to try and make themselves look at least semi presentable before exiting out into the world. Fifteen minutes later the pair made their way downstairs and to the apperating pad.

* * *

Ginny silently walked beside him not knowing at all where they were going but content not to ask he stoic companion. They had apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and then exited not into Diagon Alley but muggle London. They had been walking down Charing Cross Road for about ten minutes now.

Suddenly she saw a familiar building and knew exactly where he was taking her. Café Rouge.

_

* * *

_

Ginny was dragged out of sleep by a tapping on her bed room window. Who in the god's name would be trying to contact her at… she glanced at the clock, 2:30 in the morning? The bird persistently kept tapping. She sighed and unwillingly slunk out of bed to let the sleek black owl in.

_She discovered he had nothing secured to his leg but simply a small scrap of paper in his beak which he dropped into her palm before soaring back out of the window. Ginny unfolded the scrap and read the words._

_Red, meet me at 1500 Charing Cross Road Saturday at 10 A.M. – D_

_She stared at the words perplexed. Draco wanted her to meet in two days. It was definitely different from the norm but she would do as he asked_

_

* * *

_

Ginny walked up to a beautiful brick building that bore the address Draco had written just a few blocks down from the Leaky Cauldron. The Café Rouge. She carefully opened the door and stepped inside.

_The interior was chic and done all in black and red with a plethora of booths in rows that provided parties with some degree of privacy. _

"_Hello Miss," a voice said to her right. She turned to face a mousy man of medium height and build who had just spoken to her. "May I help you?" _

_Ginny smiled at him. "Yes I think you can. I'm looking for a tall blond man about my age, I'm supposed to be meeting him here."_

_The man nodded and gestured for her to follow him and then lead the way over to a booth in the far corner of the shop where Draco sat waiting for her. he then left the young couple alone. _

_Draco stood and gave Ginny a big hug before she sat down. A waitress promptly came over and took her order. After her food arrived and they were blissfully left alone she finally was able to turn on her boyfriend. _

"_Alright Drae, what is all this about?"_

_He gave her a sly smile. "What can't a bloke want to celebrate with his girlfriend?"_

_Ginny raised an eyebrow at him. "Alright, I'll bite. What pray tell are we celebrating sir?"_

"_You madam are looking at Hogwarts' newest head boy."_

_Ginny squealed in excitement and leaned across the table to hug Draco. "Oh my gods! Congratulations! I'm so proud of you."_

_He smiled at her again. "Why thank you. I wanted you to be the first one to know that's why I asked you to have breakfast with me here. You are the most important person in my life and I wanted to share my news with you before anyone else knew."_

* * *

They settled into a booth at the back and five minutes later had both ordered. A slightly awkward silence descended upon them which forced Ginny to resist the urge to squirm.

"So…" she finally said lamely.

Draco smirked at her pathetic attempt to make small talk. "Do you remember the last time we were here together?"

Ginny sighed. "Yeah I do actually. This is the place we had breakfast when you found out you had made head boy."

"Mhm. The year I lived in muggle London I came here all the time. I was still broken up about how we… ended." He cleared his throat a little and took a sip of his coffee. He was visibly uncomfortable with where that conversation had the potential to go and Ginny didn't blame him.

She didn't really understand why Draco kept dragging her to places that would remind her of the way they used to be. First there was the walk to the rose garden and now the café where they had met, it didn't make sense.

Was he feeling oddly nostalgic now that she was back in his life? She doubted it. She had tried to reenter his life once before and that had not gone well at all. No, he was probably just trying to torture her with memories so that maybe she would back out of the bargain and leave him be.

* * *

All too soon Saturday was upon them. Less than an hour before the ceremony began Ginny sat in her room in nothing but her corset and panties staring at the beautiful gown. It truly was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen; it was a shame that she was wearing it to get married to Draco Malfoy rather than someone who she was in love with. No matter what Hallie and Luna believed, the breakfast the day before had reinforced what she believed. They were entirely wrong for each other in every way, that ship had sailed and she was glad about that.

She sighed and turned back to her reflection. She looked truly beautiful. Smokey makeup brought out the gold flecks in her brown eyes perfectly and somehow dampened the striking freckles that dusted her nose and cheekbones. Her curls were swept up into a loose style that hung at the base of her head with several curling fiery tendrils falling down to frame her heart shaped face.

She was still musing about what this day would mean for the rest of her life when her two best friends and bridesmaids burst through the door. They were both already dressed in their deep purple dresses and looked stunning.

"Ginny!" Luna said in a panicked voice when she saw the bride did not have her dress on yet. "The ceremony start in half an hour, we need to get you dressed."

"I know Looney, calm down it will all be fine. You are freaking out more than me and I am the bride. I'm not sure if I should ask you be a bridesmaid for my real wedding." Ginny joked as she stood up.

Luna just glared at her. "I have been following Narcissa around all morning and she is stressed so I am stressed. Put your damn dress on."

"Yes ma'am" Ginny said giving her a little salute as she stood up and walked over to the dress. Hallie held it out for her while she stepped into the yards of silky satin. Once it was in place Hallie and Luna both worked to fasten her in and straighten her out.

"Wow Gin, you look amazing." Hallie breathed while Luna bobbed her head in agreement.

The dress was a halter style that did up all the way along her back with a long series of buttons. The bodice was a sweet heart top with dropped waist and a line of jewels that glittered and drew the eye down to the fabric of the bodice that swept across her body to a jeweled star burst on her left hip. The ball gown length skirt then folded in on its self and gathered at the same location on her hip.

Ginny spun around to look in the mirror. Even she had to admit that the dress was absolutely perfect. "Wow."

"Wow is right. Malfoy would have to be an exceptionally pious monk to not react to you in that dress." Hallie smirked.

"Hallie, stop it." Luna scolded in a joking manor. "It has nothing to do with the dress and everything thing to do with the girl in the dress."

"Either way I don't particularly envy him tonight."

They both laughed but were quickly shushed by Ginny.

"You are both absurd. Don't you have something to be doing before we get this whole show on the road?"

"Probably."

Luna and Hallie then left the room to find something useful to do. They wanted to give Ginny a few minutes alone to collect herself before the ceremony began. Both women could tell that their friend was on edge about what she was about to do.

Ginny was putting the finishing touches on her hair when she heard a small knock on the door that leads to the bathroom. It had to be Draco; he was the only one who would try to come in that way. She contemplated for a moment telling him to go away, that it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, and then she remembered it wasn't a real wedding and decided who cares. "Come in."

"Hey," he said quietly as he entered the room. When he saw her it was all he could do to remember how to breathe. She looked amazing, more beautiful than he had ever seen her before. Her dress clung to her body in all the right places giving Ginny an hour glass figure. Her hair was swept up to reveal the creamy curve of her neck. He absolutely refused to let his eyes travel any lower otherwise he would spend the entire ceremony being more than a little uncomfortable.

She looked up and gave him a small smile. "Hi." She stood up and swirled around to show off the entire dress. "So what do you think? Fit for a Malfoy?"

Draco chuckled and shook his head. "Yes, a perfect fit for a Malfoy bride."

"Thank you, thank you." She curtseyed. "And you are looking rather dashing yourself Mr. Malfoy."

Draco was dressed in his newly tailored black dress robes. He looked more than dashing, he looked drop dead gorgeous not that Ginny was about to admit that.

"Oh and I wanted to officially apologize for the other day." He lowered his eyes and fiddled with the edge of his robes. "I don't think we should get married on any bad or strained terms, this year is going to be hard enough, so… I'm sorry for insulting you."

Ginny leaned back against the vanity and raised one eyebrow in response. "Come again?"

"Oh Weasley don't make me say it again, it hurt enough the first time."

Ginny cracked a small smile. "Oh alright. And I guess I'm sorry for smacking you although you did deserve it."

He smirked at her with an uncharacteristic twinkle in his eye. "I usually do though, don't I?"

"Yes you do."

"So are you ready to get married?

"Yes sir." She giggled. "How about you?"

"Not sure I have much choice at this point so yeah, what the hell, let's do this."

Ginny smiled at him before sitting back down at her vanity for one final check. Draco just stood there leaning against the bed watching her. His presence made her slightly nervous, the way he just stood there staring and Ginny had no idea what was going through his head. She decided she had to say something to shake up the electric charge that had settled in the room. "So thank you by the way."

"For what?" he asked.

"For the ring, you saved me a lot of time it fulfilled three out of my four bride requirements."

He stared at her obviously confused. Of course he wouldn't know all the wedding traditions, especially considering this one was usually just a muggle thing.

"Brides are supposed to carry specific things on their wedding day. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. The ring is old, borrowed and blue and not to mention amazing." She smiled.

"Well your welcome. So what is your something new?"

Ginny blushed and dropped her eyes from his. "Well something new is kind of predetermined as the lingerie required for the dress."

Draco didn't say anything but smirked and raised his eyebrows in an amused fashion.

"Shut up." Ginny said.

He raised his hands in submission. "I didn't say anything Red."

She spun around and pointed her finger at him. "I could hear you think it and don't call me Red."

"Whatever you say Ms. Weasley."

"Only for another half an hour or so." She smiled at him.

Just then there was a small pop that signaled the arrival of a house elf. "Oh shit." Draco said.

"What?"

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" a high squeaky voice screamed as an adorable little elf in a yellow frock came stomping into her room. "What is you doing in here? I left you in your room to be getting ready and you sneaks over in here to see the beautiful bride? That is bad luck sir!"

"I'm sorry Lily! I just had to tell Ginny something."

The elf squinted her eyes in suspicion at him.

Draco sighed and rubbed his temples. "I apologized for being an arse."

"Likes you usually is!"

Draco just snickered and shook his head.

"Wait," Ginny interrupted the elf's rant. "Are you Draco's Lilith?"

"Yes Miss I is being Master Draco the idiot's personal house elf. It is very nice to meet you and you look very pretty."

"Why thank you." Ginny blushed a bit at the elf's blatant compliment.

"Yes, yes." She said as she stomped across the room and began physically pushing Draco out, her small hands shoving the back of his thighs. "Well we will be seeing you in just a few minutes."

Draco held up his hands in surrender once again and gave in to the little elf. He willingly crossed the room towards the bathroom before pausing and glancing back at Ginny and smiling at her. "I'll see you soon."

He disappeared into the bathroom leaving Ginny alone once again. She turned back to her mirror and sighed. She picked up the net birdcage veil and secured it secured it with pins and finished off with a jeweled starburst pin on the right side identical to the one adorning her left hip. She was ready.

* * *

Here's chapter 14. Little choppy but still decent, what do you all think?

Thanks to all the amazing ppl who reviewed both 12 and 13! Keep it up!

3 Care


	15. Wedding Bells and Secrets

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 15: Wedding Bells and Secrets

* * *

Ginny carefully approached the French doors that led out to the large green expanse of the West Garden

Luna and Hallie were both standing there waiting for their beautiful bride. All three women truly did look stunning in their various dresses.

"Well ladies let's get this show on the road." The little redhead joked. She received a nod from both of her bridesmaids before Luna turned and walked out the doors that were charmed to open as soon as the girls approached.

Just before she stepped out to walk down the aisle Hallie kissed her best friend and handed her an elegant bouquet of dark burgundy calla lilies and deep red roses set in a bed of green hydrangeas. She then turned and the doors opened to let her pass.

The little elf that Draco had earlier identified as Lilly approached Ginny with a big smile on her face. She looked absolutely thrilled to be helping the bride in these final moments of prep. She straightened the train gave the bride a thumbs up and then Ginny stepped out into the garden.

Ginny was stunned slightly by the beauty of the scene that surrounded her. The small crowd that was seated was split into two different sides to create the aisle of lush green grass despite the lateness of the season. This strip of green was sprinkled with rose petals that matched those in bouquet. Oak trees along the back of the area allowed the late afternoon sun to stream through the trees and dance patterns across the mesmerized spectators. The alter consisted of an arbor threaded through with flowers in the rich colors of the season.

As her examination of her surroundings drew to a close, Ginny met the eyes of the man whom her every step brought her closer to and they seemed to dance with a light that she had not seen in a very long time. Despite the fact that she had seen him less than half an hour earlier Draco seemed more care free and open then he had been. It was strangely as if the man she had been in love with was briefly looking looked out through the eyes of the man whom she was about to marry.

Finally she reached her destination and smiled as she took the hand that Draco had stretched out to her.

"Here goes nothing." He whispered to her with a wink as together they stepped up to the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, whom the Malfoys had hired to perform the high profile ceremony.

The normally stoic minister looked out at the crowd absolutely beaming with joy. He was truly honored to have been asked to perform such a high profile wedding such as this.

"I welcome you, ladies and gentlemen, on this special day to witness the union of Ginevra Molly Weasley and Draco Lucius Malfoy. I must say that I have known Ginny for many years and know her to be one of the most caring people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and although I do not know Draco very well personally knowing that Ginny loves him speaks volumes for his true character. I know you both will be very happy for many years to come.

"Now down to business. Draco Lucius Malfoy, do you in the presence of the gods and all these witnesses promise to stay by Ginny's side, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad? Do you promise to love her without reservation, comfort her in times of distress, encourage her to achieve all of her goals, to laugh with her and cry with her, grow with her in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with her, and cherish her for as long as you both shall live?"

As Kingsley spoke Draco's eyes had never left Ginny's. He stared straight at her the entire time with a calm expression on his face but his mercury eyes swirling with an inner turmoil that had begun to make Ginny nervous. Was he going to back out right then? Forfeit all his inheritance and embarrass her in front of everyone gathered?

But Ginny had nothing to fear. As soon as the question was posed Draco said loudly and clearly, "I do."

Then Kingsley turned his attention to Ginny. "Ginevra Molly Weasley, do you in the presence of the gods and all these witnesses promise to stay by Draco's side, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad? Do you promise to love him without reservation, comfort him in times of distress, encourage him to achieve all of his goals, to laugh with him and cry with him, grow with him in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with him, and cherish him for as long as you both shall live?"

Ginny let out a breath that she hadn't even been aware she was holding in as she said, "I do."

They then exchanged rings and smiled at each other knowing exactly what was to come next.

"With the powers vested in me by the Ministry of Magic I now pronounce you man and wife. Draco, you may now kiss your bride."

Draco didn't waste a second as he stepped forward and drew Ginny close giving her a tender yet passionate kiss just for Colin's camera lens. They then turned to face the crowd of mostly smiling faces and were presented to them by the minister.

They walked back down the aisle smiling and giggling in almost legitimate happiness as Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy.

* * *

The ballroom served as the perfect room for the reception. All the guests had filed in and taken their seats before the wedding party made their way into the room in the traditional presentation of the new couple.

There was food and drink; there was a beautiful cake; there was the tossing of the bouquet and even a drunken speech by the best man. By all accounts it appeared to be the picture perfect wedding and, by the standards of those that knew the truth, a picture perfect ruse.

Eventually as the evening wore on more and more of the guests began to leave until only those who were most intimate with both sides of the family remained. The later it got to be the more that the young crowd drank to the point that Draco and Ginny were sure that many of them would end up staying the night.

Ginny for her part had never been much of a drinker. She enjoyed a bit of alcohol on girls night but other than that she preferred to avoid it in public situations. Both she and Draco had no more than a few glasses of champagne and they actually enjoyed themselves watching their assorted friends and family drinking and dancing on the makeshift dance floor that had been arranged by clearing the tables.

Narcissa would have had a heart attack at seeing the damage that her perfectly set tables endured. Eventually Draco and Ginny decided that they had both had enough and needed to go to bed.

Right around four A.M. the last of the true party goers bid the newly married couple goodnight as Draco carried Ginny up the stairs to their joint rooms and entered hers. They giggled and Ginny squealed all the way up just to play up the ruse of the happy couple retiring to their first night of marital bliss.

Once inside Draco did not release his prize but instead continued to carry her until he reached the bed where he gently set her down at the foot. He then proceeded to move over two feet to his left and collapse face first onto the bed.

Ginny took in these proceedings with an amused smirk. Draco was acting highly out of character for him. She assumed it had to be due to the combination of being forced to play happy couple the entire day mixed with sheer exhaustion that affected his playful mood.

She allowed herself to lie back on the covers and turned her head to face Draco who stared back at her through heavy eyes. "So," she said in a sly tone that had he been more awake would have sent up warning signs in his brain.

"Yes?"

"What should we do now?"

"I don't know." He yawned. "What did you have in mind? I was just considering sleep."

Ginny wiggled around a bit to make her more comfortable in the long white dress. "Well the way I see it we have two choices. Option A is to go to sleep now or," she paused for dramatic effect. "Option B is to have meaningless yet amazing sex all night for old time's sake."

She watched as his lips twisted into a genuine smile before pushing himself up onto his elbows. "As amazing as Option B sounds I'm going to have to pick A. I am just too tired to really do your memories justice… but I would love a signed and dated rain check for the offer."

She smiled and said, "Wow, you really must be tired if you turned down sex."

He laughed and said, "Yeah, understatement of the year because I'm not just turning down sex but sex with _you_." Then he dropped back down and kissed her softly on the forehead.

When he realized what he had done he quickly pulled away and said his goodbye in order to make a quick exit. He could tell from the look on her face that Ginny was thinking the same thing he was, what in the hell had he just done?

It had felt so right, like that was how he was supposed to tell her goodnight. He had only done it a million times in the past when he greeted her, when they parted, when they simply had a moment to themselves.

He himself had noticed the special significance in their relationship when he would press his lips to her head and then tuck her under his chin. It was his way of expressing with action what his words could not, that he would always be there for her to love and protect her. At least that is what it used to mean. Tonight was most definitely a fluke, it had to be. That action was not him, not the man he had become, that action belonged to a former version of himself, a boy who believed himself in love.

He loosened his tie and slipped it from over his head. Today had been a long, strange, confusing day. Now he really did just need to sleep; not think about what his friends were doing in other parts of the manor; not about the beautiful red head in the white dress next door; just sleep.

* * *

After only a minimal amount of sleep Ginny was once again dragged back into consciousness by an urgent knocking at her bathroom door. She groaned loudly on being awoken and swore at the would-be intruder. When whoever it was refused to have their resolve shaken by her profanity she reluctantly call out come in.

"This had better be good Draco Malfoy." She muttered without even opening her eyes. Within seconds though she was startled by a body hurdling itself onto her bed and shaking her wide awake. Ginny was flabbergasted at her invasion of personal space but when she opened her eyes she found that her new bedmate was not the lithe, muscular blond but her petite blond friend who was obviously overcome with joy.

"Looney? What the heck is going on? What are you doing here at this ungodly hour?...and why did you come from Draco's room?"

"Ginny! I'm sorry love but I just had to come tell you!" she was bouncing on the bed, overtly excited by the news she was carrying. "Blaise finally asked me to marry him!" she squealed.

Immediately Ginny gasped and begun to join in the squealing of her friend. "Oh Looney! Congratulations!"

The girls began to hug and Luna quickly relayed the story of the happy couple staying up all night looking at stars and being intimate in the Malfoy Rose Garden. "It was perfect Ginny, I knew something had to be up when he randomly asked me what I considered to be our first date last week. I told him that even though we weren't together I always considered the Valentine's Day in the Room of Requirement to be the first time we really got along. Well he supposedly told Draco and then he planned it all out for us and made sure that Blaise and I would have total privacy for multiple reasons."

"Wait, Draco helped?"

"Yeah, he basically did it all actually. He and Theo even helped Blaise pick out my ring. The buggers went to Gringotts that day we all had lunch and picked it out from the Zabini vault." Luna held out her hand for Ginny to see. It had a gold band with a huge emerald cut diamond in the center with two yellow diamonds on either side

Ginny was slightly impressed. She was not aware that the new Draco still cared about his friends as much as her Draco had, obviously she had been wrong.

Just then there was another knock on the door and the two girls looked up to see both the boys grinning at them from the door. "Come on in guys."

They both entered the room and Luna immediately bounced off the bed and over into her new fiancé's arms. Ginny crawled out of bed too and into her closet to make herself a bit more presentable for the crowd while the trio chattered on.

Just as Ginny emerged and joined into the conversation her morning was once again interrupted this time by three sharp raps on her actual bedroom door. "Who in the bloody hell could that possibly be now? And why don't you people like to sleep?" she muttered as she crossed the room. Draco couldn't help but chuckle; Ginny was not now, nor had she ever been a morning person.

Ginny opened the door to reveal a distressed and exceptionally disheveled Hallie who immediately let herself in. She promptly turned to the boys, pointed to the bathroom and said "Get out."

Draco raised one eyebrow at the tall blond woman then glanced over at his new wife to gage how to proceed and she simply shrugged. "Why don't you boys go find Theo and get some breakfast and we'll follow you in a bit." She said and accompanied the statement with a pleading look at Draco who nodded and conceded. There was something obviously wrong that these women needed to discuss in private although he was still less than impressed with being kicked out of any room in his own home.

When the women were finally alone Luna and Ginny both spun on Hallie waiting to hear what was so important.

Surprisingly, the normally super confident American could not meet either of her friends' eyes but finally responded to the unspoken question in the room after an embarrassed moment of silence. "I slept with Theo."

Her friends' jaws seemed to drop simultaneously and they just stared in shock at her proclamation. Finally Ginny managed to stammer, "You did what?"

At that point Hallie's eyes filled with tears of shame and she sunk to the floor where she stood and was immediately joined by her consoling friends.

"Hal! It's not that bad! You just surprised us that's all." Luna assured.

"Yeah, there's nothing wrong with it! It was actually bound to happen with all the built up sexual tension between the two of you."

"What are you talking about?" Hallie asked indignantly through the tears.

"Oh come on Hal, you hate him for no reason, you claim to not be attracted to him but he is the definition of your type. It's almost as if there was some history between you even though you all were only paired together a few weeks ago."

Hallie dropped her head into her hands as her body wracked with sobs.

"Well this is getting us nowhere." Luna sighed which received an amused smirk from Ginny.

"Hallie! Stop that right now!" Ginny tried again. "Tell us what happened? Why are you so upset? It wasn't…. unconsentual was it?"

The sobs suddenly turned to a small chuckle. Finally she looked up at her friends and still laughing said, "Oh god I wish. No unfortunately it was entirely consentual."

"Ok now I'm confused."

"And I'm not sure I care." Luna muttered.

Ginny shot her a look then turned her attention back to Hallie. "Alright bitch you have been forcing me to tell my story for weeks now the table have turned. What happened last night?"

Hallie took a deep breath to steady herself and slowly wiped the tears from her face. "Alright," she finally began. "The truth is I haven't been being entirely honest with you about my dealings Theo."

"Never would have guessed that." The redhead muttered.

"Oh shut up! You had your thing with Draco and… I had mine with Theo."

The room was silent. Ginny and Luna were both struck slightly dumb. "Come again?" Luna finally choked out.

"Surprise." Hallie tried to laugh. "We have all had sex with Slytherins."

"What the hell? What happened to poor, little American Hallie who has never had the chance to fall in love?"

"Well I was never in love; it was more like in lust so I don't think it should count."

"Yeah well I guess its story time for now isn't it."

"There isn't much to tell; it was only one night the first time just like this is only going to be one night."

"Says you." Luna commented. "You obviously don't know Theo if you think he had put this much effort into getting you the last few weeks just to give up at a one night stand."

"You're right! I don't know Theo and all I've ever had with him is one night stands. That is the basis and the main problem with our… thing, cause you can't call what we have any type of relationship."

"Hallie, go back to the beginning and tell us what happened." Ginny reasoned. She could tell that Hallie was becoming even more upset by the moment and wanted to ensure she got the story before her friend shut down entirely. She needed to know what had happened before she could offer her friend any sort of advice.

_

* * *

_

Hallie hurriedly ran a brush through her shoulder length blond hair before giving herself another once over in the mirror. She only had a few minutes before her last class of the day on Determination of Dark Objects but she didn't care if she would have to apparate because she wanted to look her best. DDO was the only class she had this semester with the beautiful English guy.

_His name, she was pretty sure, was Theodore Nott and he had transferred to the Salem Division of the International School of Curse Breaking in the middle of last semester for reasons unknown by the tight knit group. _

_Not that she really cared. The fact that no one knew anything about him just made his mysterious air that much hotter and hot damn was he hot. He had chestnut brown hair was always spiked up into a perfectly sculpted mess that seemed to suit the devilish glint in his deep green eyes. His body had what she could only describe as a beater's build as he was rather muscular. He was also at least a good three inches taller than her as she discovered when she happened to accidentally bump into him after class one day last year, which was definitely a relief. Being a girl of 5'10'' there was always the constant worry that boys she would run into would not measure up to her stature and she just could not date a shorter guy on principle._

_Hallie felt like such a little school girl with a crush every time she saw this boy even though she knew it was absolutely pathetic. He probably didn't even know who she was which just made it that much worse. She gave herself another once over in the mirror before grabbing her books and rushing outside to apperate across campus. _

_When she finally reached the room she should have been just on time but upon swinging open the door she discovered the classroom to be empty except for one individual. She stepped inside and allowed the door to swing shut behind her which made just enough noise to capture the attention of the figure. Hallie's breath caught in her chest as the piercing green eyes she had been fanaticizing about focused completely on her. _

_After a second of confusion they flashed to recognition. "Oh, hello Hallie." He said slowly in his sexy accent. _

_It took her a second to kick start her brain after the electric shock it received. He not only knew who she was but knew her name as well. "Umm, hi Theo." She choked out. "Did class get canceled?"_

_He chuckled and gestured around himself. "Yeah, I'd say so." _

_Hallie could feel herself flushing bright red. Nice, now she looked like a complete blond bimbo in front of him of all people. She tried her best to recover with a, "oh ok then," and quickly turned to exit the room before she melted into the floor in embarrassment. _

_Before she reached the door though he called out, "Wait." She paused in her steps, her hand outstretched to grasp the door handle. "Would you like to go get some coffee?"_

_Hallie took a deep breath. Had she heard him right? "What was that?" she asked as she once again spun to face him. _

"_I said would you like to go get a cup of coffee or tea or whatever really?" he was rambling just a bit, it made Hallie feel all warm and fuzzy inside. _

"_Yeah I would really like that."_

_

* * *

_

Six hours later they had arrived on the doorstep of her dorm building. Getting coffee had been amazing and they had hit it off so well that coffee turned into a walk which turned into dinner and had eventually led them back to that very spot and all the while they talked about anything and everything they could think of. The conversation was flawless and constant with no awkward pauses or confusion. It was as if they had known each other forever and were more like old friends catching up than people who had just really met, or well, just really gotten to know each other as more than classmates. The most interesting part though was a weird electric spark that seemed to sizzle between them at all times, at least for Hallie. She felt as if she knew exactly what he was thinking and yet he was a complete enigma at the same time. He was hands down the most amazing boy she had ever met and she never wanted this day to end.

_On the walk back from the café he had casually slipped her hand into his and she had gladly allowed him. Now that they were standing facing each other on the stoop though she was dreading having to drop it._

"_Well," he said slowly. "I guess this is goodnight then." He gave her a crooked smile that made her weak in the knees. _

"_Yeah I suppose it is." She sighed as she forced herself to drop his hand. "I had a really good time this afternoon."_

"_So did I." Just then a strange expression came over his face that was more contemplatively serene than the playful demeanor he exuded all day. "Hallie, I …" he began but stopped himself and shook his head in resignation. _

"_What?" she asked nervously. She didn't even register that her voice was barely above a whisper._

_He raised his head and looked her dead in the eyes, his green ones trying to silently convey a myriad of emotions in one look. Eventually he reached up and tucked a stray piece hair behind her ear and said, "You are so beautiful."_

_Hallie couldn't believe her ears. The normally confident blond blushed for the second time that day because of this boy. She dropped her eyes from his and tried to turn away in an effort to brush off the compliment. "What are you talking about?" she laughed but much to her surprise her caught her by the hand and spun her back to face him. _

"_I mean it. I don't know why but I feel like we have the most amazing connection." With that he dropped her hand and spun away from her down the steps while running his hands through his brown hair. "Bloody hell! That sounds like a cheesy pick up line I'm sure," he seemed just as embarrassed as she had been a few moments ago. "I'm sorry, I really don't mean to be, what is it, lame?" _

_Hallie giggled and followed him down the stairs stopping on the last one so she was just about at eyelevel with him. "Yeah, it's lame but you most definitely are not! You are adorable."_

_He tried to turn away from her again as it was his turn to blush but she caught him by the shoulders and finally decided that she was tired of beating around the bush. Hallie looked him right in the eyes and kissed him._

_If she had thought there was electricity flowing beforehand it was nothing compared to the electric shock that coursed through her body when their lips touched. It was unlike anything she had experienced before. _

_After what seemed like far too short a time he broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. His devilish demeanor was back in place and the playful glint dances through his big green eyes. "Wow." He said chuckling._

"_Tell me about it." She breathed back. She began to chew on her bottom lip as thoughts started to swirl around in her head. She never wanted that kiss to end, she never wanted this day to end, so in an effort to prolong the inevitable she did something completely unprecedented for Hallie Weschester. "Would you like to come inside?"_

* * *

"So what happened next?" Ginny asked bouncing up and down.

"Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?"

Hallie sighed in resignation. "I never saw him again after that night."

"So he didn't come in?"

"Oh no," she laughed. "He came up we immediately had mind blowing sex several times. I was pretty sure I had fallen in love with him but when I woke up the next morning, he was gone. He just vanished into thin air. The only way I even knew he was there was the fact that I was completely naked and I had a heart drawn on my hand in red ink. Now I'm pretty sure that it must have had something to do with the war but at the time I was heartbroken. We had just seemed to fit together perfectly but he never showed up again, hence the bitterness."

"That's awful."

"That's also why I freaked out when I found out he was my new partner. What the hell was I supposed to do just be like 'oh hey, aren't you that guy I had sex with once that I never saw again?' It was so awkward."

Luna rolled her eyes. "I honestly don't understand either of you. How is it that you two gorgeous, intelligent women cannot manage to hold on to a couple of bloody Slytherins?"

Ginny and Hallie both laughed. "I don't know Looney," Ginny conceded. "You are definitely the only one that had any kind of success with that."

"Well I don't know about you but I am glad you both have them back. There are obviously some issues that you need to work out with them." With that she stood up and offered Ginny her hand, "Come on I'm hungry."

"Fine." Ginny groaned as she took her outstretched hand and hoisted her body off the ground.

"Do I have to go?" Hallie whined sounding like a small child. "I left him asleep in the room you gave me and I'm not ready to face him."

"Tough shit love." Luna assured her. "You have to face him sometime and might as well be sooner rather than later."

"… fine."

* * *

It was ten o'clock on Sunday night and finally the crazy day had ended and Ginny was able to relax and put on her pajamas. She had spent all day dealing with her friends and siblings and trying to help the houseelves restore the manor in whatever way she could. She nestled into bed early, intent on getting a good night's sleep but she had been there no more than ten minutes when her silence was interrupted by a small knock on the bathroom door.

"What?" she called out and as she expected the door swung open.

"I'm bored." Said the blond form at the door. "I came to bother you."

"No. Go away."

"Ok, I'll just stand here and keep talking to you then."

Ginny groaned at that devastating possibility and decided that relenting would probably be the simpler course of action. "Fine, come in."

He immediately did and crossed room over to the side of the bed she was not currently occupying to flop down beside her. He then proceeded to snatch up one of the pillows and tuck it under his head while making quite a bit of fuss.

"Are you quite finished?" Ginny asked in an exasperated tone. She was tired and in no mood for his games whether they be playful or malicious.

He simply stared up at her with a seemingly innocent expression.

The two then fell into another of the amicable silences that seemed to be descending upon them more and more frequently as of late.

"Hey," Draco said suddenly after several minutes of contemplative quiet. "Did you get the feeling the other day after talking to everyone that we were the only ones not getting any action on our own wedding night?"

Where had that question come from? She broke out in to laugher as she said, "Don't blame me for that! I offered, you sir are the one that turned it down."

"I know, I know. I'm not saying it's your fault; I'm just making the comment. But seriously think about it, Blaise and Luna, you mentioned Hallie and Theo although the bugger hasn't fessed up to that yet and I heard several of your brothers bragging about getting lucky."

"Well that I'm not surprised by at all." Ginny smirked. "I'm very good friends with my brothers' wives and girlfriends, I unfortunately know intimate details of their sex lives that would make them cringe." The look that came on to her face was positively Slytherin in its maniacal intent.

When he saw this Draco couldn't help but chuckle to himself and feel almost proud of the look. It was definitely proof that he had had an impact on little Ginny Weasley at one point in time. He pulled himself into the sitting position so that he was better able to see her and pulled his legs up to cross them underneath his legs allowing Ginny to see for the first time that nothing adorned his feet but socks.

This for some reason struck her as a particularly humanizing aspect, the completely put together Draco Malfoy was wearing his formal clothing and just a pair of socks. This for some strange reason made Ginny feel very self-conscious and as such she fell back into her normal habit of fiddling with her favorite necklace which almost always hung from around her neck.

Draco observed as Ginny's hand nervously shot up to her neck where she proceeded to play with a necklace that hung there. Initially he thought nothing of it but upon a second glance he realized that the necklace encircling her neck held more significance than he would have predicted. He smirked as he recognized the moonstone pendent. "You kept that piece of junk?" he asked as he reached out and took the necklace out of her fingers.

"It's not a piece of junk!" she insisted. She contemplated ripping the stone from his grasp but didn't.

"Yeah it is. It cost 10 galleons and a smile at the cute vendor who was checking me out." He couldn't help but crack a small, real smile at the look of indignation that came over Ginny's face that he was sure she didn't even realized was there.

"That she was." Ginny conceded as she reached up and carefully pried Draco's hand off her prized possession. "But that's not the point. I love this necklace. It's beautiful."

"Yeah but come on, I bought you other jewelry, most of which was nicer and all of which you sent back to me in a box except obviously this one piece. Why this one?"

"Because of the story attached to this one. It was our first date and you did it on a spur of the moment whim which isn't like you."

"So?"

"So," she paused and chewed on her bottom lip in a way that managed to make her look both like a small child and incredibly sexy to Draco. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell him this. "I like best the memories where I got to catch the completely calculated Draco Malfoy a little off his game and doing something completely out of the norm for him. It was like peeking behind the curtain."

Draco looked confused so Ginny tried to explain further. "Do you remember our valentine's date?"

"Ugh that was such a disaster." He tried to stand to avoid dredging the memory back up but she caught his arm before he could escape. "We had this conversation already and it didn't end well. Why are we having it again?"

"Because I love to think about that night."

Draco's face twisted into a grimace. "I get it you like my failures."

"No!" Ginny assured him. "I loved that night because it was perfect."

"Yeah you always say that but I do not think about it ever because of how stupid I looked."

"No you weren't stupid, just a little nervous."

"Malfoys aren't nervous."

"Yeah I know. Hence the reason you were so upset and clumsy."

"I wasn't clumsy! Malfoys aren't clumsy either." He insisted although he averted his eyes in what Ginny could only describe as embarrassment.

"I know," she smiled knowingly. "But you were. I think that's why I love that night so much. You were so out of character, it was endearing. It was why I always hated the hair gel, and loved being in your room alone with you. I was always hoping that something would happen that would remind me you weren't as cold and calculating as you wanted to appear. Things like wearing a full suit and only socks." She chuckled gesturing to his current state.

Draco looked at his appearance and then gave her an odd look. "You're strange."

She laughed again. "I know." She said as she snuggled further into her bed linens and closed her eyes.

Without realizing it she drifted off to sleep leaving Draco sitting there just watching her. Yes, she was strange but that was why he had loved her. He never knew what to expect when it came to the little firecracker. Having her around was beginning to get to him. He was beginning to feel things he had forgotten how to feel and had begun to question everything including which way was up just as he had the first time they were together. He crawled out of the bed without disturbing the sleeping redhead and flicked off the lights as he headed back into his own room. Yes, Ginny Weasley's existence skewed his world and took him on a wild rollercoaster ride that he wasn't sure he would be able to survive a second time.

* * *

Note: I changed the location of the wedding b/c I wanted it to be an evening wedding. The last chapter said east and I'm sorry bout that!

Please don't hate me forever b/c this one took soooo long. My life has been insanity since going back to school and this took a back seat for awhile. If you haven't given up then please let me know and definitely review!

Care


	16. Dressing Up to Play the Part

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the fabulous world of Harry Potter

Chapter 16: Dressing Up to Play the Part

* * *

All too soon the wedding weekend was over and normal life once again was forced to resume. All the Malfoys including Ginny returned to their day jobs while her new husband returned to whatever it was he did during the week.

Ginny was much dismayed to learn upon her return to the hospital that the news of Draco and Ginny's engagement paled in comparison to the attention she received when the article and some of the pictures from the wedding were published in the prophet. It got to the point where she could barely leave her office without be hounded by someone.

She began to cast disillusionment charms on herself every time Mrs. Coe gave brought her the next batch of cases otherwise she would never make it to the exam rooms to get anything done. It all reminded her of the attention she had received after the war and she didn't like it any better now than she had then.

Draco, as usual, seemed completely un-phased. He continued to go about his business lazing around one minute and then disappearing for hours on end the next. It confused and concerned Ginny.

She didn't want to call it jealousy, but something caused her the pit of her stomach to tighten every time her old flame went missing. She didn't trust new Draco not to try and find a way around his grandfather's ban on messing around with any number of the many women who would gladly throw themselves at him.

But when confronted about his whereabouts he would just get defensive and tell her that it was none of her business. This of course did nothing to sooth Ginny's confused nerves and eventually it led to a huge fight between the two.

She couldn't believe that they had been married hardly more than a week and they were already ready to kill each other. Thank the gods they had not stayed together. They fell in love as children. Had they stayed together it could have been the biggest mistake of both of their lives.

No, she had definitely dodged a bullet and now she just had to survive one more year of Draco and then she would be able to write him off forever. One week down and only 51 odd weeks to go.

The only consolation in her existence currently was that all those years ago Draco had been correct, she and his houseelf Lilith got along famously as well as enjoyed ganging up on Draco at any chance they got.

Actually Ginny was quite popular with the entire household staff. All the elves that she had encountered seemed absolutely baffled by the fact that she remembered their names and every new one she encountered was already in awe of her just because they had heard how awesome she was. The one who had truly seemed to take a fancy to her though was the same peculiar little elf that she had been dealing with since her first visit to the Manor, Blinky. He seemed to have permanently attached himself to her side and didn't seem to be planning on leaving any time soon. Abraxas even pointed out that he might eventually want to bond to her as her very own personal elf which would be a very interesting situation considering the fact that she was not always going to be a Malfoy.

* * *

By the time their two week anniversary had come and gone Ginny had officially established a routine at the Malfoy Manor. She felt comfortable in her new home and with the majority of the other residents that she dealt with on a daily basis, with a few notable exceptions.

Ginny absolutely loved Cissa, Salvia and Abraxas but Draco, she had decided, was determined to be a pain in her ass and Lucius, well she was still terrified of him even though they were living under the same, albeit large, roof. Her only consolation was that they rarely crossed paths and therefore she didn't worry all that much about interactions with him.

On that Tuesday afternoon Ginny apperated to the main gate of the manor. It was somewhat annoying that they had not yet added her to the list of people who were permitted to floo or apperate into the main house on a daily basis. The one time that she and Hallie had flooed over they had been granted special permission to allow it. Now, until the magic had been properly applied, Ginny was forced to first go to the main gate and then head to the Manor from there.

Once she was past the main gate security point, Ginny apperated directly to the front door. She grasped the large brass latch and let herself in. She walked through the now familiar foyer, still not able to completely pass through without glancing around to admire the size and splendor of every room in this house.

She didn't make it all the way to the grand stair case when Blinky popped out of nowhere making her jump.

"Bloody hell," she shrieked. "Blinky don't do that!"

"Oh, Miss Gin! Blinky is so sorry! I was not meaning to scare you! Blinky will go to punish himself if that is what you is wanting." The little elf looked up at her with his ears drooping and his huge brown eyes in agony because of the strength of his remorse.

"No, no, Blinky please don't. You just startled me. Please don't hurt yourself, I know you didn't mean it." She crouched down to look the little elf straight in the eyes. "Blinky, I never ever want you to punish yourself because of something I have said. Do you understand? Never and that is an order!"

"No, no, Miss Gin, when Blinky is bad he must punish himself, especially if he is upsetting sweet Miss Gin." He tentatively placed a small hand her arm.

"You won't ever upset me enough to warrant hurting yourself Blinky, I mean that." She pulled the sweet little elf into a hug.

When she released him he had big round tears running down his face. "You is the nicest Miss that has ever been in the Malfoy Manor. Come now, I will show you to the rest of the family."

Ginny straighten and followed the little elf as he guided her to the sitting room in the north wing of the manor. She was most familiar with this wing of the house because she knew that it was the one in which all three generations of Malfoy men and their wives, which now included Ginny, lived.

When they reached their destination Binky bowed to Ginny and apperated away. Ginny then grasped the door handle and entered the room. Despite the fact that it was referred to as a mere sitting room, the room was huge with high ceilings and intricately decorated walls and furnishing. The theme for this particular room was black and white, classic and chique, which meant that it must have been decorated by Cissa rather than Salvia who preferred warmer and richer tones.

Sitting in the room on some of the numerous pieces of furniture were Abraxas, Salvia, and Narcissa.

"Hello everyone." Ginny said cheerfully as she crossed the room and plopped into a large black chair beside Cissa.

"Why hello Ginevra, how was work?" Abraxas inquired from his perch at the writing desk across the room.

"Exhausting. How were your days?"

"Well I too worked while the ladies took a mental health day and went shopping."

"Ooh, shopping! Get anything good Cissa?"

Her 'mother-in-law' let out a little laugh at the enthusiasm that always seemed to permeate Ginny's very being before responding, "No buying today just perusing."

"Don't forget though that all three of us will have to go shopping soon Ginny dear," Salvia said looking up from the book she had been reading. "There is the annual Malfoy Halloween Ball next weekend and all three couples will need appropriate attire. You know, ball gowns and such."

"Gowns? Wow that sounds intense. Well just let me know when is good for you and I will try and clear my schedule."

Narcissa snorted in an elegant way. "Oh so you are just going to let us buy you a gown this time? I'm not sure I totally believe you after the dilemma that was trying to purchase your wedding gown."

Ginny smirked and resisted the urge to impudently stick out her tongue at the older woman, instead simply saying, "Well after last time I thought it would be best to just go to the fitting and allow the family to purchase the gown with minimum input."

"Smart decision," Abraxas chimed in. "I'm impressed you were able to stand up to them at all honestly but I do feel that it is best for you if you just give in."

Ginny giggled, "I definitely agree."

Narcissa smiled and then added, "Oh and we would also like to invite Hallie if she is free. Salvia and I do so enjoy her company almost as much as yours dear. We wanted to personally invite her to the ball."

"I'm sure she would love to come with us. Hallie loves any opportunity to get all dressed up." she replied before deciding to change the subject. "So where is the Great Bouncing Ferret?"

Abraxas let out a deep booming laugh at Ginny's insult of his grandson. He just could not get over the story of Draco be transfigured into a white ferret. "That idiot left a few hours ago, who knows where is he by now."

Ginny smirked at the elderly man's obvious contempt for his grandson although her chest did involuntarily constrict ever so slightly at the fact that the family did not know her annoying husband's whereabouts. "Alright well, I think I am going to take a shower before dinner. I will see you all then." She then proceeded to get up and leave the room before making her way back to the grand staircase and following it up to her room.

* * *

Draco casually flung open the door to his bedroom. He had been at work all afternoon and was absolutely done in. He really did need to hire a few more people. Running his business with just his four employees was becoming more and more exhausting the more the establishment grew. He tossed his coat down on the bed and casually slipped his tie off from around his neck before crossing his room and heading towards the bathroom to take a quick shower before dinner and another glorious round of insults with Weasley. Bloody hell that girl had the ability to get under his skin. It was rather annoying that every time they started to get along they would get into an earth shattering fight that would plummet them back down to the level of hatred and annoyance.

As he walked he slowly began to unbutton and un-tuck his white button-down shirt, finishing the chore just as he opened the bathroom door. Much to his chagrin, Draco was greeted by a cloud of steam rather than cool clear air. After two weeks of marriage Draco should have been expecting it as Ginny had beaten him to the bathroom almost every single day after work but he was still annoyed to find her in there.

Stepping into the bathroom, he crossed the large white marble room in three large strides. He stopped in front of the walk in shower that was walled by glass charmed to distort images for modesty. "Why is it exactly that every single time I step into my bathroom I find you in here already?"

"You're too slow to get into the shower first? And who said it is your bathroom?" the cheeky little redhead replied not even turning away from the steady stream to see who had disturbed her attempt at relaxation.

"You're funny Weasel. Seriously you are constantly in the bloody shower. And of course it is my bathroom. It has been since I was three."

"Well that's too bad, you have to share it with me now and I have to shower more than the average person so get over it." She turned slightly and glared at him momentarily.

"You don't have to, you choose to." He said as he slowly took in the sight of her perfect naked body that was slightly distorted by the glass but not enough that his imagination couldn't fill in the gaps. He had to concentrate very hard on his dislike of the little firecracker in order to not become obviously and painfully aroused.

"No I actually have to because of my job." She continued. "Because of the different potions, plants and spells I come in contact with I have to shower profusely. Did u know that showering…?"

"Red, I really don't care." Draco interrupted as the water shut off. He grabbed the towel draped across the bench outside the shower and handed it into her.

"Oh! Thank you. Big surprise there. Draco Malfoy doesn't care about what others have to say." She wrapped the towel securely around herself and stepped out of the shower only to be greeted by the wonderful broad expanse of Draco's well toned chest.

"That's not true," he quietly replied all traces of the annoying Malfoy from moments before gone. "It's not everyone, it's just you. You are a Weasley. I am a Malfoy. I am programmed to hate you."

"No, you choose to hate me."

"I didn't invent the Malfoy/Weasley feud." Reaching up and tucking one soaking wet red strand behind her ear.

"Draco, there is no real feud." Ginny said leaning slightly into his hand. She just couldn't help herself. "Don't laugh at me but I pulled a Hermione and did some research. I found out the truth. The whole thing started out seven generations ago when a young Malfoy heir fell in love with a Weasley woman while they were at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, both of them were already betrothed to different pureblood families from the time of their infancy. In order to avoid their marriages they both drank poison and committed suicide together. Afterwards both families blamed the other for the death of their child which started a feud that has lasted in some form up until today. We hate each other because they were in love. Kinda ironic isn't it?"

"That's a little Romeo and Juliet don't you think?"

"Close." She smirked at the irony. "They were Shakespeare's inspiration only their names were Romulus and Juliana. Seems he like to plagiarize." She let out a small laugh and pulled the towel tighter around herself. They were standing very close together. "I didn't know you read muggle books."

"My mother made me read all the classics when I was younger. Dickens, Shakespeare, Milton, all the old boring stuff."

"That's actually rather impressive. So now that you know what actually happened what do you say to calling a truce Malfoy."

"Well," Draco said quietly, leaning down so close that she could feel his breath tickle her skin as he spoke. "Why destroy a perfectly good feud."

Ginny was appalled. They had been having such a good moment and she had even extended an olive branch to the git but he had to go and ruin it. He truly was unable to grasp any emotion. She shoved passed him into her room and slammed her door.

Draco chuckled to himself. Yes, she could get under his skin but he could get under hers as well. At last some peace and quiet, but as he stepped into the shower to unwind he couldn't help but think of Ginny, her little history lesson, and what it could possibly mean for the future.

* * *

Hallie flung herself onto Ginny's bed on Friday evening. Her friend had been taking a nap after a long day at work and Hallie had decided that that just wouldn't do. She ran across the room and jumped onto the bed, bouncing up and down to disturb the sleeping woman.

The only response that her actions received was a groan and covers being pulled over her head. Hallie then stretched out next to Ginny and waited for the covers retracted enough for her to see her face. Something wasn't right.

"What's wrong Gin?" Hallie asked starring Ginny down with the threatening but loving look that only a best friend can give.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Ginny insisted. She did her best to hold Hallie's gaze and not give into the urge to look away. But Hallie saw everything she needed in her best friend's eyes.

"What did he do now love?" she asked tucking a stray piece of hair behind Ginny's ear.

Ginny laughed without any real mirth. She should have expected Hallie to just be able to figure out what was bothering her. "He exists."

"Well besides that?"

"We got into another stupid fight the other day and it has just really been bothering me."

Hallie leaned over and hugged Ginny to her. "It only hurts so much because you still care about him."

Ginny rolled out of her friend's embrace. "Not the time to try to make me realize my repressed feeling for him."

"Does that mean you admit those feelings?"

"Hallie!" Ginny pushed herself up and slid off her bed.

"Sorry, sorry!" her friend assured. She sat up as well and watched as Ginny moved about the room to get ready for their shopping expedition. "So," she said conversationally after a few minutes. "What does Draco's room look like?"

"I don't really know honestly. I have only been in there once and I was primarily focusing on getting out as fast as possible while remaining undetected. But with what I do remember and knowing Draco it's probably all dark wood and Slytherin green with silver accents."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because that's how his room used to be back at Hogwarts and Draco is entirely a creature of habit."

"Oooh! Is this the beginning of story time?" Hallie bounced up and down on the bed.

Ginny sighed and said, "Yes, I suppose it is."

_

* * *

_

Ginny practically buzzed with excitement. The day she had been waiting for had finally come. The summer was finally over. While by all intents and purposes that should have been a cause for distress for any other sixteen year old girl but for Ginny it meant that she would finally get to be with her amazing boyfriend again.

_While it hurt that they could not publicly be together at least she knew that she was with the most amazing and gorgeous guy at Hogwarts._

_As quickly as possible Ginny bid her parents goodbye and slipped onto the train with Luna. The pair did not have to search for long before they were silently herded to a compartment on the far end of the train by the appearance of one Mr. Blaise Zabini who could barely keep his hands to himself long enough to traverse the crowded train. _

_When they finally reached the compartment Ginny found herself drawn in by a pale, leanly muscled arm and drawn into a firm, broad chest. She breathed in and the familiar spicy sweet smell of Draco enveloped her. Leaning back she looked into the most beautiful pair of silver grey eyes she had ever seen. "Hi," she whispered breathlessly. _

_Draco said nothing but sexily smirked at her before drawing her in for a breath stealing kiss which left Ginny dizzy. "Hi." He whispered back. The pair then settled in on one side of the compartment and faced their fiercely snogging friend, ready for the long ride to Hogwarts and the even longer year ahead of them. _

_

* * *

_

Ginny once again walked down the long corridor to Draco's Head Boy rooms. Over the last few weeks since they had been back at school Ginny had become rather accustomed to this walk since this is where she, Draco, Blaise and Luna spent as much of their time as possible but for some reason it seemed as if after her first Quidditch practice of the season this hall seemed longer than it usually did.

_When she finally reached the door she muttered the password and let herself in. much to her surprise, when she entered the bedroom she found it completely empty, no Draco, no Blaise, no nothing. It was very strange. _

"_They must be running patrol." She muttered to herself. "Well since no one is here I think I might as well take a quick shower." _

_Yes, she liked that idea very much, but what would she wear afterwards? Her Quidditch uniform was absolutely disgusting and she stupidly hadn't brought any other clothes down from her dorm. She decided that the best course of action was to steal something of Draco's. He was a Malfoy after all; it's not as if he would miss them._

_After riffling around in his chest of drawers for a few minutes she found a pair of clean black boxer briefs in some silky material and a plain white athletic tank that would work perfectly as make shift pajamas._

_Once in the bathroom, Ginny rapidly disrobed, glad to be free of her sweaty garments, and stepped into the warm shower. After cleaning her whole body and washing her hair in soap that smelled like Draco, Ginny forced herself to turn off the water and dry off._

_She quickly discovered after slipping them on that the clothes she had thought could work were most definitely too large for her tiny frame leaving her no choice but to shrink them to fit. She decided to leave her hair wet preferring the way it looked when it dried naturally as opposed to magically. _

_Stepping back into the room she was thrilled to see that her boyfriend had returned. Now he was sitting in the green high backed chair that faced the fire, his eyes closed, dozing. _

_Ginny quietly walked over to sit on the couch next to his chair, content just to watch him sleep. He looked so peaceful and innocent. When Draco slept all the worry fell away from his face, the hardness that had formed around his mouth and eyes, consequences of his Malfoy mask, were gone and Ginny thought she saw the ghost of a smile play across his lips._

_She let her eyes continue to glaze down his body. His button down shirt was open revealing his white undershirt that was just tight enough to see the outline of the rock hard muscles that lay beneath it. _

_She continued to admire his body till a deep chuckle caused her eyes to flick back up to his face and there she found two silver eyes with an amused twinkle in them staring back at her._

"_You should definitely wear my clothes more often." He smirked, his voice was still scratchy from sleep. "They look so much better on you than they ever did on me."_

_Ginny blushed. She didn't know how to respond to his blatant flirting like that. "I'm sorry; I was gross and needed something to wear. I'll clean them and give them back." She rambled, suddenly mortified at her plan to borrow something of his. _

_Draco just continued to laugh and casually motioned for her to come closer. When she was within grasping distance he reached out and pulled her down into his lap. Automatically she curled up and snuggled down into him, placing a soft kiss to the corner of his jaw._

"_You don't have to apologize. Keep the clothes I don't care." He kissed her on the tip of her nose. "I want you to be comfortable here, with me."_

_The sincerity in his eyes made Ginny's heart sing. Every moment she spent with this boy made her more and more convinced that she was in love with him. She had decided that it didn't scare her anymore. Now all she worried about was how Draco himself felt and in moments like this Ginny thought that maybe, just maybe, he was falling in love with her too. _

* * *

Finally the shopping expedition was set to begin. The party of four women was joined by an unexpected male fifth because someone had skipped his first two dress robe fittings and was now forced join the women as a last resort.

Draco now wished he had not put off getting robes because the tension between Ginny and himself was almost palpable. They had barely spoken all week and he was finding that he almost felt bad for upsetting her, which, for him, was strange in itself. But there was no time to think about all that unpleasantness now; there was work to be done.

The whole party made their way to Madame Malkin's shop before Draco split off to go across the way to the men's portion of the shop.

When the women entered the first thing they passed was an amazing display full of beautiful masks that were intricately decorated with tiny glittering jewels. As they passed one of the masks caught Ginny's eye. It was a deep midnight blue with an iridescent quality to it. On one side it had a satin and beaded lily that unfolded itself along the side in the same deep blue as the base and several delicate feathers bursting from the top.

It was convenient that the ball was a masquerade because there was a very good chance that all the women would be selecting their masks from this very rack. Ginny secretly hoped that she could find a dress to match this exquisite mask.

The party continued back into the shop and met Madame Malkin herself in order to select their perfect gowns.

The first dress they picked out was Salvia's because she had to leave the earliest. She and Abraxas had a function later on that evening and the whole group wanted to ensure that her gown was squared away since the ball was in only a few short days. The gown that the whole party, sans their male representative, chose was a black liquid jersey full length gown that poured down Salvia's body. With a low plunging neckline and a high slit skirt revealing a glimpse of skin, Ginny prayed that one day she would look as good as this woman at her age, or even as good as Cissa at hers. The dress had long sleeves that contracted by elastic at the wrists and was finished off by a large silver belt that encircled her waist. She looked absolutely stunning.

Next it was Hallie's turn to try on dresses. The women all decided that the third one she donned was absolutely perfect on the willowy blond woman. It was a scoop necked gown with frills layered as trim to accentuate the neck line. It hugged her curves almost all the way down her the straight skirt but she was still able to easily move and later dance in the garment. The color was a deep rich royal purple that made her hair and blue eyes both pop. There was truly no other option but for Hallie to wear this dress.

Cissa's final decision was a beautifully ruched stretch mesh gown with an asymmetrical neckline and elbow length sleeves. She decided to make the dress a similar shimmery platinum color to match her hair. She, like Salvia, had only picked out one dress to try on as a result of knowing exactly what she was looking for. Both of these elder Malfoys had become so experienced at picking out gowns that trying on dresses had become more of a formality than anything else.

With three dresses down there was only one left to determine and once again Ginny was the problem although it was not she herself. The seamstress paraded her in front of the group in at least a half a dozen different dresses before they could all come to a consensus. The progression probably would have gone much smoother had Draco not been involved in the process. After having finally finished his own robe fitting he made it back to give his opinion on the dress his mother had chosen and to vocally give his opinion about Ginny's.

By the time she had slipped on the sixth dress, Ginny was about ready to kill Draco. She honestly no longer cared what dress she wore as long at the bugger actually picked one.

She had to admit that the dress she was currently wearing was by far her favorite but she didn't want to get too attached just in case the tall, blond pain in her arse rejected it as well. It was a beautifully draped silk chiffon gown with a sweetheart neckline and a slightly revealing off-the-shoulder design. The bodice was a pleated corset that accentuated her tiny waist and there was no real train for her to trip over so that was a plus. Currently the gown was a slightly awkward periwinkle blue color but Ginny cast a quick glamour to make the material shimmered to a deep midnight blue.

She could just imagine this dress with the glittering mask in nearly the same color blue that caught her eye when she entered the shop. It was perfect, now only to convince Draco.

Just before she stepped out for the whole group to see she shook her curls out of their loose confines. All the taking on and off of the gowns had put her ponytail into disarray. She flipped her ginger mane over one shoulder and stepped out.

Draco, who was standing behind the couch of seated women, had to consciously keep his jaw from hanging open. Little Ginny Weasley looked absolutely stunning in the blue gown that she was wearing. The color was perfect for her skin tone and didn't at all clash with her copper colored hair, and bloody hell did it make her figure look good.

"Alright Mr. Critic, what do you think?" she asked in an exasperated tone. She twirled in place for everyone to see and returned to center with her hands on her hips and her eyebrows raised. It was quite obvious that the opinions of Hallie and his mother no longer mattered. She was specifically trying to please him.

Draco strove to compose his thoughts enough to form a coherent sentence which Ginny obviously interpreted as him taking his sweet time to make up his mind based on the dramatic sigh she let out of obvious annoyance. "I like it." He finally choked out. He hoped that none of the women picked up on his blatant discomfort.

"Finally! Good I like this one too. But it has to be in this color not the one it came in if that's not too much trouble." She turned to Madam Malkin for her consent. When she nodded Ginny continued. "Perfect! Well I already know which mask will go perfectly with this dress. Why don't you all try to find a mask while I get changed?"

"That is a very good idea." Narcissa agreed and she and Hallie both headed back to the front of the store.

Unfortunately for Ginny, Draco did not follow his mother but her instead. "What do you want Malfoy?"

"Not to look at the masks." He said simply.

"So you followed me?" She bit back as she magically unzipped the gown and carefully stepped out of it. She was feeling unusually hostile towards him. Normally when she was annoyed with him she just strove to ignore his presence as best she could but today she really just wanted to gauge his eyes out, or something along those lines.

"Pretty much." He drawled. He leaned against the side of the dressing room, lazily waiting for his… wife to be finished. It was still weird for him to think of her as his wife. He was just becoming used to the thought of her as his fiancé and then they forced them to go and get married.

Suddenly a small hand darted out of the dressing room and attached itself to his tie and dragged him in. "Alright Malfoy, let's get something straight right now." Ginny fumed.

She was dressed in only a hot pink lace bra and cream colored panties with roses of the same pink as the bra and her whole body was flushed with fury giving her a radiant glow. Draco's brain melted into a puddle right then and there. He had been celibate for over a month and been forced to live with this women who, although he hated her existence, was bloody shaggable and this combined with his earlier discomfort at seeing her in that dress was just too much for his poor overtired brain to handle.

"I'm over you already." She continued in a harsh whisper. "You have been absolutely obnoxious the last two weeks and I refuse to continue dealing with you. We are supposed to be happily married and your attitude it too much to deal with. You had better straighten out soon otherwise I will make your life every inch the living hell that I can, and you know that I am more than capable of it so don't push me Malfoy!"

With that she shoved him out of the room and closed the curtain in his face. He, for his part, just stood there with his mouth hanging slightly open, dumfounded. She had just legitimately chewed him out. He knew deep down that he deserved it but he never thought that she actually would. This Ginny always seemed so calm and collected, well for the most part. He figured that she would continue to cut him down in the verbal sparring matches that they had been participating in, but no, she had legitimately chewed his ass out. And what was worse was he liked it.

This was not something he had ever experienced with the love-struck Ginny of old. That girl had been too smitten with him, and he with her, to ever get to the point where she actually felt the need to just rip him a new one. And she had threatened him! It was fantastic! He knew that it was by no means an empty threat but… seeing that much raw emotion from her was awe inspiring. He wasn't sure how but he was going to make her that open again.

Just then the curtain flung open once more and the firecracker stormed out. She shoved the gown she had finally chosen, or rather he had let her chose, at him and said in a cold clipped tone, "Give this to Madam Malkin." before striding away from him.

He knew he would do exactly as she said at that moment because he was able to watch her backside sway back and forth as she strode away from him. It was actually all he could do to keep his mouth from dropping wide again.

Draco Malfoy had once again been bent out of sorts by little Ginny Weasley except this time he would not fall for her charming little act. No, this time he would get even.

* * *

All the picture for the girls' dresses and Ginny's mask are on my page if you are interested in seeing the vision.

Soo not gonna lie this is not my favorite chapter but it keeps the story moving along so that is good. I feel like it got better towards the end. Let me know what you think and I am always open to plot ideas and suggestions of others! Please review!

3 Care


	17. Removing the Mask

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

**Warning**! This chapter gets racy down towards the end. If it's too much for you please skip to the last two paragraphs before the author's note.

Chapter 17: Removing the Mask

* * *

Ginny woke up late on Saturday morning. She had decided that after the disgustingly long week she had had she was going to take a little time for herself and sleep in.

She awoke about ten o'clock and then proceeded to take her time showering for the day and getting dressed. She locked the door to Draco's room while she was in the bathroom because she didn't want to chance an accidental run in with the devil's spawn to ruin her guilty pleasure morning.

Eventually she could no longer put off going downstairs to help manage the decorating of the ballroom for the party that evening. But by the time she arrived down there most everything was done. Between Narcissa, Salvia and the houseelves had transformed the regal yet plain dance space to a completely decorated space fit for the ball later that night.

The whole room was decorated with the traditional Halloween colors of black and purple. There were tables scattered around the room at the two far ends with a large ballroom floor in the middle much like the set up of the wedding a few weeks earlier. Each table was covered by a black silk table cloth with shimmering silver place settings. All the plates were stamped in the center with the Malfoy crest. Each of the crystal stemware was magically lit from within so that it glowed purple as well. In the center of each of the tables were glowing balls of white light rather than a center piece. These balls were also scattered all throughout the room, levitated to be an eerie light source to supplement the candelabra that lined the walls. The ceiling had been enchanted in the same way that the Hogwarts ceiling had to reflect the weather outside so that tonight it would sparkle over the Malfoys and their guests with stars. The overall effect of the room was spectacular and Ginny could not wait to see it later that evening when the sun had set filled with all the guests.

When they were finished the three women made their way to the dining room for lunch where all three of their husbands awaited them.

Ginny was less than pleased when she saw Draco sitting at the far end of the long table with his father and grandfather when the women walked in. Thus far the pair had managed to essentially avoid each other entirely for the last week since their run in at the dress shop.

Now the thought of having to be civil to him in front of all his family during lunch and then in front of the 200 plus guests at the ball made Ginny sick to her stomach. All she really wanted to do was to claw the bugger's eyes out.

But like the adoring wife she was being paid to be she dutifully took her place next to Draco at the table and endured.

All throughout the meal neither said a single word to the other. They both talked to the elder Malfoys but did not so much as glance at each other and when they were finished the whole family went their separate ways again until later that night.

* * *

Hallie arrived at Malfoy Manor about 5:30 so that she could get her gown which was delivered with the others to the manor and then get ready for the ball with Ginny. When she got to the manor she was immediately escorted by Blinky up to Ginny's room and she entered without knocking.

Her best friend was sitting at her vanity wrapped in a towel with her wet curls hanging down her back. She was not making any effort to get ready, just simply staring at her reflection, obviously lost in her own thoughts. She was seemingly shaken out of her reverie by Hallie's entrance though. She turned in her seat and smiled. "Hi love."

Hallie smiled back. "Hi babe, what's up?"

"Just avoiding getting ready for this godforsaken thing." Ginny laughed and stood up from her seat. "Give me one second." She crossed the room to her closet and reemerged a few minutes later in the correct undergarments and a loosely tied robe. "Here let me transfigure you a vanity so we're not cramped at one."

Ginny turned and used the low coffee table to create a vanity set and a chair that matched Ginny's own. She then pointed to the two garment bags that rested on the bed. "Mine is on right and yours is on the left. Both masks are in that box in the middle."

The pair then set about the process of getting ready. While Ginny manually twisted her hair up into pin curls Hallie took a shower and then magically dried her hair so that she could scoop it up into an elegant up do.

Both women then set about doing their makeup. While they sat there applying it Hallie chattered on about one topic or another to fill the silence in the room. Ginny inserted the appropriate comments here and there so that her friend would not think that she was entirely swept up in her own reverie once again.

"Did you know that I lost my virginity after a Halloween Ball?" Ginny said randomly when a pause came in Hallie's rambling.

"Oh really?" Hallie said. She twisted in her seat away from her conjured vanity mirror to look at her best friend. "Do tell. It was to the arse hole in the next room I assume."

"Yes, yes it was." Ginny chuckled. "In my later years at Hogwarts we always had Halloween balls for the older students and in my sixth year while I was with Draco everything just clicked into place."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was an emotional wreck just before the ball that year. The trio had disappeared about ten days before prior and I was sick with worry. I basically moved in to Draco's private rooms because being near him made me slightly less worried and I also couldn't stand the pitiful sounds of Allie crying over Harry any longer. Draco became my emotional rock in that week and remained such until we were officially over."

Ginny paused and took a deep breath then she too spun around in her chair. "It all happened so fast. I spent the entire ball basically glued to his side. We danced every single dance together and I know that is when people first became suspicious of us. There were always rumors circulating about Draco and I secretly being together back then. We always waved them off under the pretense that we had just become good friends because our best friends were very publically together. I'm sure everyone who saw us together that year felt entirely vindicated when Colin's piece on us came out in _The Daily Prophet_.

"It was just too big a change in Draco; because even back then he was a complete manwhore. He had slept with half of the school by the time we first got together and I honestly have never been able to figure out what it was about me that made him pull such a complete 180.

"From the time we first met as Draco and Ginny the year before, as opposed to Malfoy and Weasley, he had always been entirely focused on me. He never even looked at other girls and that night was no different. We did not separate once even though at least a dozen other girls asked if they could cut in. I felt so loved and so protected. It was entirely my decision when we finally got back to the room. I basically jumped him as soon as the door swung close. He tried very hard to be the gentleman and get me to realize what I was doing, to get me to slow down, even though I could feel how much he wanted me too through his trousers. But I kept pushing and before long he couldn't withstand any more.

"It was amazing. He was so sweet and gentle and made sure that I was entirely comfortable and hardly felt the pain. It lasted surprising long for being my first time and he actually was able to take me all the way. After it was all over we just laid there holding each other. After a few minutes he leaned down and kissed me and then he whispered I love you. Can you believe that? Draco Malfoy was the first one to say the three hardest words, not me. I immediately started crying and kissing him and telling him I loved him back with my whole heart. It was the most beautiful night I've ever spent."

Then Ginny went silent. She wiped a tear that was sliding slowly down her cheek away and then smiled at Hallie. She began to laugh at herself for all the dumb emotions that were coursing through her. "Bloody hell I'm a complete wreck!"

Hallie jumped up from her chair and immediately hugged her best friend. "No you're not! You're beautiful and amazing. And you deserve the absolute best in the world."

Ginny clutched her friend and nodded. "So do you."

Hallie pulled back and scoffed at her. "Psh, I would just take one that doesn't bail on me every time we have sex."

Ginny immediately scrubbed her face and focused on Hallie. "What do you mean? I'm so awful, I've been blubbering on and I never even asked you what happened with Theo. I'm so sorry love."

"That's totally fine because honestly, nothing happened with Theo. I took a few days off after the wedding because I was blatantly avoiding him and then when I finally got the courage to go back to work I find out that the day before the bugger had requested two weeks off. He said it was something about his mother but I don't know if it was that or if he just didn't want to be around me. He is supposed to be back on Monday." She grimaced at her friend. It was obvious that Hallie was battling feelings for Theo in much the same way that Ginny was battling her past feelings for Draco.

"I hate to break it to you love but he will actually be here tonight."

Hallie's beautiful face contorted into a grimace. "Great. This is going to be so much fun."

Ginny couldn't help but laugh at the blatant sarcasm. "Yeah tell me about it. We have to deal with those two inherently stupid men who just can't get it together when it comes to us. All I have to say is at least yours isn't your date."

"That is very, very true."

* * *

At 7:10 there was a rap on the door. Hallie swished across the room to answer it while Ginny pulled down the last few curls and magiced her hair into place. Both of the women were finally ready after a grueling hour and a half of preparation that reminded Ginny exactly why she hated these sorts of parties.

Hallie swung the door open to reveal Draco who was dressed in a perfectly fitted tuxedo with a vest and tie that were the exact shade of Ginny's dress. He leaned against the door in an annoyingly sexy way and smirked. He twirled his companion mask to Ginny's intricate on one finger looking bored as the girls put the finishing touches on their outfits and grabbed their masks, finally ready to go.

Draco bowed the ladies out of the room and let them lead the way downstairs. This was only partially out of good manners and mostly because he wanted to watch the two stunning women without them noticing. Once again Draco was struck by how utterly fantastic Ginny looked in the long blue dress. He allowed himself a few moments to take her all in before he steeled himself against her. He couldn't let how beautiful she looked affect him because tonight was the night he was to enact his revenge. He knew it was the perfect plan. It would require very little effort on his part but he knew that it would make her absolutely furious and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

The trio then descended the stairs and made their way to the Grand Ballroom. When they arrived they found that the elder two couples already in the ballroom putting last minute touches on the décor and waiting for the first guests to arrive.

Before long Blaise, Luna and Theo were there as the firsts guests. They arrived slightly early but it was no surprise to Draco since these friends were always there to make sure there wasn't anything that Narcissa needed before one of her big events.

Tonight Luna looked absolutely stunning in a shimmery gold gown with a plunging neckline and very little back. Ginny remembered when she and Luna had picked out that dress; it was always one of her favorites. The extravagant gowns for all the various galas and balls that they attended was one of the few things that Luna always let Blaise buy without fail. Usually she refused to accept too many gifts from him and insisted that they pay the bills for their flat evenly.

The trio immediately started exchanging pleasantries with Ginny, Draco and his family and catching up on their lives since they had last seen one another. Before long more guests had arrived until it seemed as if there were a steady stream of people entering the ballroom and all three Malfoy couples greeted them graciously.

Finally the flow of people slowed and they were all able to disperse to enjoy the festivities along with everyone else. By that point the ball was in full swing. There were people waltzing their way along the dance floor and enjoying the splendid array of food that had been set out for the occasion. Guests laughed and smiled and thanked every Malfoy they came in contact with for hosting the amazing affair. The only one who didn't seem to be enjoying themselves was Ginny due to the tall, blond thorn in her side.

The problem was Ginny couldn't pin point the problem. He wasn't being obnoxious or his normal smarmy self, in fact it was the opposite. Draco was being the perfect gentleman and an even better husband. He stood by Ginny's side, fetched her drinks, danced with her as much as she desired, he was perfect. But it wasn't right. This was not Draco; not even his acting was that good.

She couldn't describe it but he knew exactly what he was doing. Draco was intentionally being the perfect date. He strove to make sure his eyes did not stray to look at all the gorgeous women in their formalwear; he doted on Ginny and was on his very best behavior. He did all this not because he wanted to or because the act would please his family, no, the entire charade was meant to piss off his wife. And it was working.

Draco could tell that beneath her calm exterior she was absolutely on edge and it was pissing her off more and more by the minute. It was a beautiful thing.

As the night wore on Draco could tell Ginny was growing closer and closer to snapping at him. He wondered if she made a public scene if his grandfather would be forced to fire her, that could be fun. But in the end he was disappointed.

The couple was standing his parents and the Minister of Magic and his wife, all conversing casually on this topic and that when Draco finally pushed Ginny over the edge. The minister had made a joke and the whole circle had laughed but when the laughter subsided Ginny felt Draco step closer to her and place a hand on the small of her back.

The feel of that intimate gesture sent a stab of white hot rage straight to Ginny's heart. She had to get out of that room right then or she might end up cursing him in front of everyone. So she planned her exit strategy and calmly said, "Oh well I am becoming far too flushed in here. Draco darling, would you mind going out onto the terrace with me for a few minutes. I really need some air."

Draco simply smiled a dazzling smile at her and said, "Of course my love. Anything you need." and her motioned for her to lead the way.

As soon as they had made it out to the terrace Ginny ripped off her mask and turned on Draco.

"Alright what in the bloody hell is going on?" Ginny demanded.

Draco carefully reached up and unclasped the fasteners that held the mask to his face. "I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about dear."

"See! That! What is all this dear and darling crap? You hate me and I hate you. End of story."

Draco shook his head and held out a finger. "Ah, ah, ah, not so fast. We're in love, remember. I'm just playing along in this stupid scheme. Isn't that what you're supposed to be doing? Restoring my image as my perfect little trophy wife? At least that is what I was under the impression you were doing here."

"Of course that's what I've been doing. I have been for the last 2 months. You haven't seen your name in any magazines or posed for any nude shoots have you? You are being cleansed."

"Perfect. Then what is the problem?" he reached up and ran over his face tiredly.

She threw up her hands in exasperation. "You're being too attentive! No husband is that good! You have been hanging on my every word, your eye has not wandered a single time, you have just been… _there_, right beside me all night attending too my every need."

"And how is that a problem?"

"Because that isn't you!" she cut him off. Her voice was now rising at an accelerated rate and there was nothing she could do to stop it. He had finally done it, unleashed the infamous Weasley temper and he was about to experience the full brunt of it.

Draco, realizing what was most likely about to happen, took out his wand and created a sound barrier bubble around the pair so that their argument would not draw the attention of any of the guests that spun on the dance floor a few mere metres from where they now stood.

"You are not that man!" she continued. "You are not kind or thoughtful or aware of other people's feelings. You used to be but now you are just this cold outer shell; nothing but a pale shade of the man that I fell in love with. I hate every moment that I am around you because the body that I see is so utterly beautiful and familiar but the man inside is a completely different person. I hate who you are now. Most days I want nothing at all to do with you because I never know what Draco I'm going to get. Some days you seem like a confused version of the man you used to be which absolutely kills me because you are so close yet so far away and then other days you are this vengeful self destructive piece of shit that I see right now. And you are self destructive. Everything you have become is screaming out for someone to help you. To take you off this path you have put yourself on…"

"Stop it." He hissed in a deadly whisper. He had listened to her go on long enough about exactly what she thought about him and the way he lived his life. "You," he spat out as if the very existence of the woman in front of him were a poison he sought to eradicate. "Lost all and any power you had to comment on my life when you left."

Ginny stuck up her chin in an attempt to hide the stabbing pain his words had caused to both her heart and her pride. "Well someone has to say something before you destroy everything about yourself."

"Not you."

They stared at each other fiercely; both in their formal wear, looking absolutely stunning, breathing heavily with the anger and surprisingly pure lust coursing through their veins.

Draco's eyes raked over Ginny's body. She looked like a fiery fairy of the night in the blue dress that blended in to the sky around them. Her hair whipped around her in the breeze creating a halo out of the wild ginger tresses. He had never hated or desired a person more in his life.

Suddenly the last months became far too much for him to handle and he closed the distance between them and scooped Ginny up for a hungry, desperate kiss

He was surprised when she did not shove him away but instead pushed back against him with what seemed to be the same wanton intensity that he felt for her. They pawed at each other trying to hold the other as close as possible and yet increase the distance while their lips and tongues danced across one another.

The kiss seemed to last an eternity and yet only a few seconds before as suddenly as it had begun it was over.

Draco looked down in to Ginny's big chocolate brown eyes and saw so many emotions swirling in them that he could barely process them all. Anger, lust, confusion and fear all present in one look. They were too much for him to handle.

He roughly stepped away from her, this time putting as much distance between their bodies as he could mange. But it was far too late.

That one kiss had awoken in him some deep yearning need. He needed to be close to her, to be inside her and the quiver of her lip as she stood there with her hands at her side told him that she very well might need exactly the same thing from him.

He reached out and grabbed her hand. When she said nothing, he turned and yanked her along behind him. He left the terrace through a side exit that did not lead back to the dance floor but to an inner parlour which he quickly exited.

Neither one said anything as he roughly pulled her along the corridor towards a door at the far end. There was truly nothing to say, only carnal instincts that must be sated.

When the couple finally reached the door, Draco shoved it open and finally dropped her hand. She saw his form move across the dark room and flip on a small desk lamp but before she could process the room as anything more than a good sized library he was back and pulling her body toward his.

Draco swung the door shut with a swift kick before spearing his fingers into her silky smooth red hair and capturing her mouth once again.

This kiss was filled with even more intensity than the last if that was even possible. Both tried to press to one another so hard that they sought to make every single line of their bodies match up.

Suddenly Draco moved his attentions away from her mouth and down to her neck making her moan with pleasure. The sounds spurred him on as he hiked up her dress slightly and lifted the tiny woman off the ground. Immediately Ginny's legs locked around Draco's waist and she forced his face back up to hers to kiss him again.

Draco moved them until Ginny's back was pressed firmly against one of the large shelves. Every movement they made was hurried and desperate as if at any moment they would snap out of the trance of physical need before achieving what they most yearned for. Reaching under her copious amount of skirt he wrenched aside her thin lace panties to slide first one and then a second finger into her.

His pace and determined lack of foreplay caused her to cry out in pleasure and pain. He continued his assault for a few tense minutes while she gasped and writhed but he had her thoroughly pinned to the bookshelf by his achingly hard pelvis.

Soon though it was too much for him to handle, he needed to be inside her and from the look in her eyes she needed that too.

Ginny braced herself on the shelves as Draco removed much of his support of her while he unfastened his belt and trousers and pushed all the material he had on aside to let his erection free of its confines. Before he allowed himself to enter her though he slid the panties down her legs and skillfully managed to slip them off without dropping her.

Then he once again pushed the shimmering blue material aside and thrust up into her making them both cry out. Draco held there for a moment while he rested his head against her chest. He had forgotten how amazing it felt to be inside her.

Without lifting his head he began to slowly thrust in and out of her. He could tell by the position of her body and the sounds that she was making that her head was thrown back and her back arched to get as much of him inside her as he possibly could.

He could not maintain the slow pace for very long before his desire forced him to speed up thrusting long, fast and hard into her.

Finally he began to feel her walls clenching tightly around him and both their worlds began to spin. With a few final powerful thrusts they both rode the waves of their simultaneous climaxes down together leaving them collapsed against the shelf panting hard and clinging to one another for support.

After a few minutes of just existing, Ginny reached one hand up to Draco's face and forced him to look at her. When he did and silver eyes locked with chocolate a surge of forgotten emotions coursed through each of them almost as potently as the climax they had just experienced. She ran her thumb along his bottom lip and then kissed him softly and almost chastely for the activities that they had just been involved with.

For some reason the kiss signaled the end of the moment for both of them. Draco slipped out of her and then lowered her carefully to the ground. Neither looked at the other, they weren't sure if they could or not. They just busied themselves with becoming presentable once again.

Ginny slipped out of the room before Draco could notice and silently made her way back through the winding halls before becoming totally lost and having to call Blinky to escort her back to her room. As soon as she was there though she lost every ounce of composure she had. Ripping off the gown as quickly as possible she collapsed on to her bed in only her bra and the underwear she had retrieved and broke down into uncontrollable sobs just letting all the emotions she was feeling wash over her.

Draco, for his part, never left the room. He collapsed onto the couch in the library where it all happened and tried in vain to sleep. He tossed and turned in his formal wear, tortured by visions of fiery red and creamy skin and before long the emotional torment caused even the stony, cold Malfoy man break down into silent tears.

* * *

Quick Note: Nina10966, of course you weren't criticizing me in the last chapter! I'm so sorry I missed that correction when I was rereading! It was totally a miss on my part and thank you for catching it for me! It's really hard to beta yourself well and sometimes I miss some things unintentionally. Thank you again!

Inspiration for the scene is kinda like the library scene in Atonement but no one gets arrested and there is no unhappy ending for this particular decision only some awkwardness.

Well this was a fun chapter. I know I was supposed to update FFF before this one but I was inspired to write this chapter and it all just came flowing out. It could be my favorite one to date just because of all the character development that just tool place AND they finally get some action (as requested by a ton of people). What will this mean for our favorite couple? More issues? Some resolved? Tune in next time folks! Lol

3 Care


	18. Potential

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 18: Potential

* * *

November first dawned a confusing and emotional morning for the youngest Malfoy couple. They had both spent the entire night upset and confused lost in memories of what had been before.

Unfortunately, they were both also in great trouble for abandoning the party that they were co-hosting with the elder two generations. The pair had disappeared somewhere around 1am and had not reappeared by the time the ball wound to a close an hour later. And to make their situation worse neither resurfaced until quite late in the morning that day and would not offer any explanation as to their whereabouts.

No matter how much Narcissa chided and goaded Ginny was a sad steal trap. She barely said anything all day as the women went about the Manor ensuring that everything was back in order.

She also informed the family that she would be gone two weeks out of that month as she had decided that she would indeed speak at two international healer conferences that had been begging for months for her to attend. Under normal circumstances Ginny would never have even considered these invitations as she did not feel that she could add anything to the conferences or them to her but now any valid excuse to get as far away from Draco as possible she was ready to absolutely jump on. It was inherently her own cowardice but she did not just accept that but embraced it.

No one questioned her motives though and so Ginny had her escape.

Draco too began to search for valid excuses to not be at the Manor. He felt so claustrophobic there, trapped inside the walls with only his family and her when she was there. He began to spend more and more hours at his mysterious daytime occupation and some nights he never came home at all.

When she noticed such things it made Ginny very nervous. She was never sure where he was or what he was doing and with whom. And after the Halloween Ball things were taken to yet another very different and even more confusing level, if that was at all possible.

With all the emotion that had become evident in those few short carnal minutes, Ginny knew that she would never again be able to deny that she and Draco had a chemistry unlike anything she had ever experienced. The thought of him trying to drown those feelings in another woman's arms hurt Ginny so much that at some points she couldn't even breathe.

So she didn't think about it Ginny threw herself into her job and gave it absolutely everything she had. Throughout November she stayed late, took extra cases, was on top of all of her paper work and had her conference presentation done long before she would actually have to leave. It was a new concept for Ginny and while she did not enjoy it at least she didn't have to be anywhere near Draco.

* * *

As December began it appeared as if it would be very similar to the month before it but then on Tuesday, December 1st everything changed.

It seemed as if it was to be a perfectly normal day. Ginny had just flow back to London from a third conference in Los Angeles, California in the United States just three days before, choosing to take an infinitely slower muggle airplane rather than just a long distance floo which would have gotten her there in a third of the time.

Under normal circumstances Ginny would have taken a day off after one of these long grueling conferences but instead she caught a little sleep and dragged herself, jet lag and all, into the office the next morning. She refused to spend an entire day at the manor with just Draco.

In fact she had barley seen her husband at all the entire month. She was blatantly avoiding him and he her. Their paths only ever intersected at the occasional family dinner that they couldn't avoid.

They both appreciated not having to really force civility while having to ignore the cluster of emotions that were swirling throughout both of them. Draco and Ginny were both admittedly confused and were not exactly sure how to behave around the other ever since the Halloween Ball.

So off she went to St. Mungo's, ready to slog through an incredibly long day.

* * *

Ginny sighed and looked at the clock on her wall. She was so close, only one more hour till she would be free and she could go home.

Most of her patients were gone for the day and the few who were still milling about the waiting room were simply waiting for potions or to get all checked out. It had been a fairly successful day as far as healing had been concerned. Ginny herself though was beyond exhausted. By this point in the day the jet lag had completely taken hold and she was acutely aware of how little sleep she had gotten in the last 48 hours.

She allowed herself to take a moment to just put her head down on her arms on her desk. She was completely aware of how unprofessional that was but she couldn't hold her eyes open a minute longer.

Just as she felt her mind beginning to lose consciousness the door to her office flew open. Ginny sat straight up to see Mrs. Coe standing there beckoning her furiously.

"Healer Weasley! You have to come quickly! Oh my, it's so tragic! Please, quickly!"

Ginny immediately jumped up from her chair, not even stopping to put her coat back on. Just seeing how distressed her prim and proper assistant was acting was enough to alarm Ginny.

She quickly followed Mrs. Coe out of the office and down the hall towards the examination rooms. All the while her assistant was babbling something about the patient. Finally Ginny stopped the distressed woman and forced her to give Ginny the exact details so she could accurately treat the little girl.

Mrs. Coe took a deep breath and then launched into an explanation of a seven year old little girl who was brought in by her mother. She suffered from lycanthropy and normally took a small daily dose of Wolfsbane Potion that was keeping her affliction well under control but somehow this morning she got her hands on or was given concentrated Wolfsbane Essence and had consumed it.

When she heard this Ginny's heart sank. Wolfsbane Essence was extremely toxic on its own, it was the reason that the potion was so incredibly difficult to brew and could not be done by just anyone. Most people who consumed the essence died within a matter of hours due to massive organ failure caused by the ingredient and based on this little girl's age Ginny knew that she most likely only had a matter of minutes left to live.

Despite knowing this deep down Ginny would not give up. In her line of work she had not encountered all that many children and the few that she had had encountered were nowhere near as serious as this. In fact, in the three years that she had been a healer at St. Mungo's, she had yet to lose a child and she did not want today to be the day that all changed.

Ginny breezed past her Mrs. Coe and into the examination room. She was completely unprepared for what she saw there.

Ginny stared at a beautiful little girl on the table. She had bright blue eyes and pretty brown curls. When she caught sight of Ginny she focused the captivating stare of those sweet little eyes right on Ginny and the pain and fear in them was almost enough to break her right there and then. But Ginny could not let her see that, she had to be strong.

She went straight to work.

"Hi sweetheart! My name is Ginny, what is your name?" She asked even as she immediately began to cast healing and all the poison blocking spells she knew.

"Katie." The little girl whispered in a strained voice.

"Ok Katie, well I am a healer and I am here to make you all better. So I need you to do exactly as I ask you to do ok?"

Katie nodded her agreement and dutifully swallowed the beazor that Ginny popped into her mouth.

Ginny worked for a solid half an hour doing everything within her power to fix the situation before her. She cast every spell, gave her potions and plants to take, everything she could think of all the while ignoring the statistics in the back of her mind that were screaming at her that only 2% of adults that took concentrated Wolfsbane Essence lived through the experience.

No, Katie was so sweet and innocent, just a little girl. This was not fair that someone would do this to her and no matter how much her heart was breaking, Ginny already knew that Katie most likely only had minutes left in her life.

* * *

Ginny was numb. She stood there looking at the tiny lifeless body. She had been in the examination room with Katie for over an hour trying in vain to save her. It was all Ginny could do to hold her composure to walk out the door and give the little girl's family the news.

After she finished giving her condolences she was able to slip away from the distraught mother who had immediately collapsed onto a chair in hysterical tears.

Ginny headed straight back to her office. She sat down in her chair and put her head in her hands for a moment to take a few deep steadying breaths. Her efforts were interrupted though by the entrance of Mrs. Coe.

Ginny immediately switched gears and tried to make it look as if she were reading a file when her assistant came over to her.

"Ginny," she said in an uncharacteristically soft voice as she laid a hand on Ginny's shoulder, touching her for the first time ever. "Go home dear. This will keep."

Ginny could do nothing but look up and nod in obedience.

* * *

But Ginny could not go immediately home. She felt as if she was lost and could not handle the emotional stress that came along with being at the Manor.

Who would give a child concentrated Wolfsbane Essence? Whoever it was should be first Crucioed and then locked in Azkaban with their own personal dementor for the rest of their life.

Ginny apparated instead to her flat that she had shared with Hallie before moving into the Manor. Seeing Hallie usually made her feel better and she always understood Ginny. "Hallie?" she called out. Her voice sounded flat and pathetic.

"Ginny?" came her best friend's voice from the back. Within moments Hallie emerged from the hallway. "What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

Ginny collapsed onto the couch and dropped her face into her hands. "I just needed to see you. I'm sorry, I lost a little girl today and I couldn't face going back to the Manor just yet."

"Oh wow babe, what happened?" Hallie quickly crossed the room and sat down next to the little red head with concern blatantly obvious in her big blue eyes. Hallie was aware that Ginny had never lost a child and though her friend knew that the day would have eventually come now that it was here Hallie could tell Gin was an absolute mess.

Ginny curled up into a ball and laid her head in Hallie's lap. All she could focus on was ensuring that breathed deeply and held back the tears that were beginning to escape from the corners of her tightly shut eyes.

Eventually she was able to control her emotions enough to quietly explain to Hallie what had happened. She spoke of the poor little girl with brown curls and big blue eyes who entirely trusted Ginny to make her all better and how she failed to do that for her.

"Oh love," Hallie said softly as she stroked Ginny's ginger curls. "I'm sure you did absolutely everything you could to help her."

Ginny nodded through her tears. "I did."

"And you have to know that this is in no way your fault. You can mourn her but you eventually have to let it go because it will eat you up inside. You have lost people before and I know that this little girl,"

"Katie." Ginny whispered.

"Ok, Katie," Hallie tried again in an even softer voice. "She was the first child you couldn't save but I know that you are strong enough to move on and make sure you don't lose any other children. This isn't your fault and you can't let it bring you down. You are the best healer that St. Mungo's has ever seen and they need you to save people just like you have been doing for the last three years and will continue to do for the rest of your life."

Ginny could do nothing but nod. She knew her friend was right and even though that didn't dull the pain from the loss it did help her to know that she would be able to move past it.

After a few more minutes Ginny was finally able to stand, give her best friend a long hug and then apperate back to the Manor.

Hallie watched Ginny go with increasing trepidation. She had been constantly worried about Ginny as of late. Being around Draco somehow messed with Gin's head and for some as yet unexplained reason something had happened over a month ago now that seemed to send them both over the edge.

Hallie was not actually sure that Ginny was mentally able to handle the situation with the little girl at that point in time no matter what she had told her. But unfortunately, Hallie had problems of her own to deal with; tall, gorgeous Slytherin problems, and she really just didn't have the energy to completely focus on Ginny at that moment. All she could do was hope that her best friend and her husband would be able to work everything out.

* * *

Not feeling like talking to the family, Ginny decided to apperate directly into her room. Once there she instantly felt better about her horrible day. The beautiful calming colors helped her relax and accept the advice that Hallie had given her, she really couldn't save everyone no matter how hard she tried. She stepped into her room and shut the door behind her.

She still couldn't completely let go though and knowing she couldn't do anything didn't make it any easier. Ginny was supposed to be the best at what she did, but despite all her long years of training and all her experience on the battlefields during the war, her numerous skills couldn't save one poor little girl who did nothing except do what she was told.

Refusing to let her mind dwell on the afternoon's events, she slowly made her way to the bathroom, peeling off various items of clothing as she went. By the time she stepped into the shower she had shed everything and with a flick of her wand she started a scalding hot steam of water before tossing that outside the door as well. As she stood under the painful stream though her mind began to float back in time despite her best efforts to keep it clear and soon the water from the shower head was joined by a steady flow of salty tears that came pouring from Ginny's eyes before she even realized it was happening.

After a few minutes she left the shower, still crying and barely conscious of what she was doing. She dried herself with a towel, scarcely noting that it wasn't her fluffy purple one but a deep navy color that must be Draco's.

Ginny dropped the towel, picked up her wand and walked back to her room completely naked. In her chest of drawers she found her favorite outfit in the whole world: a well worn lime green tank-top, a garnet Weasley jumper with a silver G on the front and a pair of black silk men's boxers.

The tears still freely flowing, Ginny couldn't make herself walk all the way to her bed. She chose instead to simply slide down the piece of furniture from which she had retrieved her clothes and let the devastation take hold of her.

* * *

Something was wrong. The Weaselette was thirty minutes late. The Weaselette was never late, ever. She always flitted through the door to the sitting room at six thirty most nights on the dot unless otherwise stated previously to his mother. It was beginning to make him nervous.

'_Wait, what? No, Malfoys don't get nervous, especially not over something as insignificant as a Weasley_.' Draco silently chided himself. _No, she must just be late. Besides no one else seems to be concerned so why should he of all people be?_

It was true, as the rest of his family lazed around their favorite sitting room, all busy with some different activity, not one of them glanced at the clock or the door like Draco had been for the past thirty minutes. Nor did anyone ask where she was as they got up and casually drifted to the dining room upon hearing that dinner had been served. She was obviously fine. Besides he hardly ever saw her lately, maybe she was late getting home all the time and his frequent absences just made it so he didn't realize. Still, it couldn't hurt to check.

"Blinky." Draco called out after his parents and grandparents had all entered the dining room. The elf, he had noticed had turned into a Ginny homing signal; if anyone knew where she was it would be him.

The little elf popped out of nowhere right beside him, startling him. "Yes Little Master, how can Blinky be helping you?"

Draco quickly regained his composure and asked, "Do you know if Ginny ever came home today?"

"Oh yes Master Draco, Miss Gin is getting home at her normal time but she went straight to her room. I think she was being very upset!"

"Umm…thank you." Draco said awkwardly as he headed up the grand stair case to the upper levels of the North Wing.

After several minutes of climbing and too many large mahogany doors and stern looking portraits to count he passed his own room. The next door was Ginny's.

He knocked on the door but there was no answer. Had the house elf been wrong? No, not possible. She had to be in there but just wasn't answering.

Suddenly Draco had an idea that, honestly, he could not believe he had not just tried first. He dashed back down the hall to the entrance to his room, said the password and made a beeline straight for the bathroom. Once inside he noticed that the other door, the one leading into Ginny's room, was standing open.

Bloody hell, what happened in here? He wondered seeing the clothes, towels and various other items strewn all about. Fearing the worst, he crossed the room expecting to see her body on the other side of the door; instead he saw Ginny curled up on the floor crying.

"Red."

* * *

At the sound of her old nickname Ginny looked up to see Draco standing in the bathroom door. He was still dressed in the expensive suit that he always wore to do…well whatever it was he did during the day.

What did he want? Probably to mock her. She tucked her head back into her body as a fresh wave of tears stemming from both her grief and her self-pity over took her.

"Red," he called again. "Come on love what's wrong?"

No, it was just her imagination. He didn't care. Draco Malfoy hated her, that much he had made abundantly clear in the last month.

"Please invite me in. Gin, what happened? Are you alright?" his voice sounded genuinely concerned.

"No." she said.

Ginny took the chance of peeking up at the man in her door way. He was crouched down trying in vain to get as close to her as possible.

At her words his face fell and he said hesitantly, "Ok, I'll just leave you alone then." He straightened and began to leave. He irrationally wanted to help but at the same time he wasn't going to push it.

Just then Ginny was overtaken by a wave of fear at being left alone. If he left now he would never come back. "Draco!" she choked.

* * *

He spun around at the sound of his name in her strained tones. She sounded terrified. "What? What's wrong?"

She began to shake as giant round tears began to flow down her pale already glistening cheeks. "Please don't leave me! Please come in!"

That was all the signal he needed. Draco stepped through the boundary and walked over to Ginny. He crouched down to look her straight in the face and asked again, "Are you alright Gin?"

Slowly her head raided and her big hazel eyes looked up at him. They seemed to hold a deep devastation and insecurity behind the sheen of tears that was so strange to see in those warm, lively eyes that Draco was taken aback.

"I couldn't save her." She said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Couldn't save who?" he asked softly. He slowly reached out to cup her small face in his hand in a gesture that felt bizarrely intimate but strangely he didn't care at that particular moment.

"Katie." She whispered as tears began to once again flow freely. Ginny flung her arms out and wrapped them securely around Draco's neck, burying her face into his neck.

At first Draco was not able to respond from the shock of her movement but after a moment he regained his composure and hugged her body to his, a small comfort in the midst of her distress.

After a few minutes it occurred to Draco that they were both crouched on the floor and if he was cramping up after just a short amount of time, how uncomfortable must Ginny be?

In one rapid movement he unwrapped his arms from around her back and swiftly picked up the tiny woman. She squeaked in surprise but never unwound her limbs from where they were tightly wrapped around Draco.

Still carrying her he crossed the room to her bed.

* * *

Ginny squeaked in surprise despite the tears that still had not stopped falling from her eyes as her body was effortlessly lifted from the ground. Draco carried her to her bed and then was somehow able to turn it down and still cradle her at the same time. The whole time he was quietly offering her words of encouragement with her head tucked under her chin.

She was then deposited on the bed and he disentangled himself from her grip and pulled the covers up around her. She was sure that he was now going to leave her again now that he had placed her somewhere where sleep was a viable option but she knew as soon as he left she would be too overcome by grief and loneliness to even consider it.

Ginny listened hard as she heard Draco walking across the room but much to her surprise he crossed to the other side of the bed and she heard his designer shoes clunk to the floor. The covers on the other side of the bed were then thrown back and Draco slipped underneath them. He then proceeded to pull the distraught red head into his body and hold onto her.

This action was much more than Ginny could handle just then. After the awful day she had had now Draco was pulling a complete 180 of behavior from the entire month previous. She became hyperaware of his arms wrapped around her, one lazily strolling up and down her back in a soothing manner, his chin on the top of her head from where he had tucked her into him, the feel of his chest against his face and the sound of his steady heartbeat the only other sound in the room to accompany her fading grief. Her whole being was on over drive, senses, thoughts, emotions and the weirdest part was there was nowhere in the world she would rather be and even more strange, no one in the would rather be with at that exact moment. Ginny thought she might as well just die right there.

His very presence was somehow ebbing away the anguish so that soon her tears had dried and her breathing had begun to even out. Before long she had even drifted into a light sleep still in his arms.

Draco for his part could not help but wonder exactly what had happened earlier that day to distress his redhead so. He had never before seen Ginny so utterly devastated not even when she had found out that the wonder trio had disappeared in the middle of the night to add their numbers to the war effort.

He himself was distressed by the effect that whatever had happened had had on Ginny. His arms instinctively pulled her tiny form closer to his. He knew he should probably leave long before she woke up but he could not bring himself to abandon her in her moment of need. Instead, after some time, he just allowed himself to relax and sleep to overtake him.

* * *

When Ginny awoke the room was slightly lit by a lamp but the windows to the outside were completely dark. She did not know exactly how long she and Draco had been asleep but she was more than relieved to discover that he had stayed with her. She did not know what she would have done had he slipped out of the room as soon as she was asleep.

As she lay there she tried to focus only on the feel of his hard chest beneath her hand and the smell of his musky collogue. She did not allow herself to think at all, not about Katie, her day, the last few hours, and especially not about what she would do once Draco had woken up. No she simply allowed herself to exist in that particular moment in time and would deal with all the rest when the time came.

Eventually though Draco did awake.

When Ginny felt his telltale change in breathing she slowly lifted her eyes as his blond eyelashes flirted with the idea of releasing the sliver grey orbs back to the world. When sleep had finally lifted enough for him to focus on her face, he gave her a little smile.

No words were exchanged in the first few moments, just loaded looks teeming with unspoken emotion. Pain, both old and new, and apology were bartered for much desired forgiveness and before long the awkwardness from the last month melted away from their minds.

Finally the extensive silence was broken by a single word that fell from Draco's lips, "Food?"

It wasn't until then that Ginny noticed how hungry she truly was. Thinking back, she was not sure that she had eaten all day, preferring instead to skip lunch in order to see one more patient. She nodded vigorously at his suggestion.

He disentangled himself and held up a finger. He quickly crossed back to the bathroom and into his room to change out of the suit he had been imprisoned in all day. He reemerged a few minutes later at the door to her room and motioned for her to come to him.

She slid out of the bed and crossed the room to grab his outstretched hand. He led her through the bathroom and into his room.

Ginny was immediately struck as she entered his room by how calming the dark colors were. The dark mahogany furniture, deep green satin bedspread with black satin sheets, a large sitting room with black leather furniture all made her feel as if she was in a dark, cool cave. She briefly wondered why they had been living together for over two months and she had not been in here since her accidental sleep over.

She decided right then that she would not be going back to her own room that night but would try and convince Draco to let her back into his calming sanctuary.

As they exited his room and made their way down the stairs he did not release her hand but instead laced their fingers snuggly together. This made Ginny's aching heart warm ever so slightly. She could already tell that despite how miserable her entire day had been she would treasure the next few hours. The old Draco would be making an appearance in order to take care of her, and even if he were gone in the morning, she would appreciate this night for the rest of her life.

* * *

YAY! New chapter! More emotion! Soooo much drama! Will these two ever just get to be happy? I don't know! Let me know what you think!

(I personally really liked the very end. I got all poetic and shit! Yay for Lit teachers who feel the need to torture me for my most poetic writing!)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Love you all!

Care


	19. A New Light

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 19: A New Light

* * *

Ginny and Draco wound their way through the Manor and ended up in the Kitchens. Ginny had yet to ever enter this room because as far as she could tell this was the special domain of the houseelves and she didn't want to ever get in their way.

The kitchens of the Manor seemed to Ginny to look very similar to the Hogwarts kitchens except on a smaller scale so rather than four exponentially long tables there was just one that was the exact size of the dining room table.

Tonight though, it was a virtual ghost town as all of the houseelves were surely in bed due to the late hour. Ginny was afraid that Draco would not call out for one and drag them from their sleep but she was pleasantly surprised when he led her to a chair at the table and then began to open various cupboards and the icebox as he searched for food.

Eventually he emerged laid down with various items that he clumsily splayed out on the table. Ginny eyed him and his display not quite sure where this whole process was going. He began opening items and pulling out pieces of meat and cheese and slowly two decent looking sandwiches began to take shape.

Finally he pushed it towards her with a proud grin on his face. "Food."

Despite herself Ginny could not help but smile. "Thank you."

They ate in silence for a while but eventually Draco's curiosity got the better of him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ginny's face lost a little bit of the color it had gained back but she felt after all he had done for her he deserved at least a basic explanation of why she had seemingly lost her mind. "Umm, there was a little girl who came in today and…"

"Katie?" he quietly interjected.

"Well, yes, her name was Katie. I suppose I must have mentioned that… earlier. She was given pure essence of wolfsbane which is incredibly toxic when not properly brewed into a potion and well the long story short is I couldn't save her."

Draco remained silent for which Ginny was more than grateful. He didn't offer up any pointless 'it wasn't your fault' or 'I'm sure you did everything you could' but instead just slipped his hand into hers, offering silent support while she fought to hold back a new wave of tears that threatened to devastate her feast.

Finally she was able to control her emotions enough to whisper, "She was the first child I have ever lost" and hoped that Draco would be able to understand a little deeper why the whole ordeal was effecting her so.

After a few more silent minutes filled only by the sound of their occasional chewing Draco magiced the plates over to the sink and once again grabbed Ginny's hand

He wound her back through the Manor and up the stairs where they entered the first of their doors that they reached, which of course was Draco's room. Ginny was once again astonished by the feeling of total peace that existed in his dark cave that all smelled of his musky sweet cologne.

Draco began to cross the room towards the bathroom entrance but was pulled backwards softly when Ginny did not follow him. He turned questioningly back to her.

She shifted around like a small child with something on her mind. She looked vulnerable and innocent and utterly beautiful, so much so that the force of it almost knocked Draco backwards.

"Would it…" she began uncertainly as she chewed on her bottom lip in nervousness. "Would it be ok if I stayed in here tonight?"

"You want to sleep here?" he looked at her confused. "Do you want me to stay too?"

Ginny was forced to crack a small smile at his comment. "Yes." She nodded.

Draco was not entirely certain which of his questions she was answering but he decided just to take it as the answer to both. He released her hand and headed to his side of the bed as she crept around to the other half expecting him to change his mind.

He peeled off the jumper he had put on in place of his button down shirt from earlier. Without any sort of undershirt the subtraction of the garment left his perfect upper torso wonderfully exposed and displayed as he lay down, gesturing for Ginny to come over and join him. She crawled into the bed and cuddled right into his side just as she had been previously in her room. She felt warm and safe curled up next to him as both began to relax and let sleep over take them.

Neither was sure exactly what all this meant for their relationship but both just decided to add it to their growing list of confusing experiences that threw the nature of their bond into question. They were now even more confused than the day before where they stanchly avoided each other but they would analyze that in the morning.

* * *

Ginny woke up sometime mid morning to being softly poked by someone. She lifted her head off the warm form that she was cuddled into and looked around. At first she was disoriented by the dark colors that surrounded her and the warm, firm person whose arms had a secure grip around her waist but then all the events of the past day came flooding back to her quickly when she twisted to see both Blinky and Lilith standing at the foot of the bed.

"Ugh," Ginny sighed and rubbed a hand over her face trying to force the sleep from her head. "What time is it?"

"It is being 7:00 Miss Gin." Blinky whispered to her earnestly. "Blinky has been wanting to wake you but Lily is not allowing him. She is saying that both Miss Gin and Little Master is needing their rest but Miss Gin is having work and Blinky is being worried."

He was speaking so fast that tired Ginny was barely able to process the information he was trying to relay. "Blinky! Blinky, calm down! I'll be fine. Actually, can you please send a note to my assistant that I am ill and will not be coming into work today?"

"Lily will do it for you Miss. We will be leaving you bes now." She said yanking Blinky by his collar out of the room. "You goes back to sleep now and feel betters miss."

Ginny forced herself to smile at the elves as they exited. They really were a cute little pair she had noticed. They always seemed to be together and always bickered although she could tell that Blinky had more than a little crush on Lilith, not that Lily would give him the time of day. She really would have to talk to Draco eventually about what the family policy on houseelves… well, dating of sorts was. But not today. Today she just wanted to snuggle back into Draco once more and go back to sleep.

She lay back down but was not immediately able to drift back off; her mind had already begun turning thinking back to the events not of yesterday but of last night. She had no clue who that man was who had come to her rescue but she really liked him. It was interesting to her to see that man was who had so silently taken control for her and had just taken care of her in her moment of need. She didn't think that the old Draco could have handled her emotional breakdown and the new Draco wouldn't have given a shit as to how she was feeling. No, the man who had held her as she cried and forced her to smile when he made her a sandwich, that man is entirely different from the current classification she used to label Draco. This was the man she had seen flashes of when he modestly pointed out his flat in muggle London and the one who had helped his best friend plan the perfect proposal and this was a man that Ginny could easily see herself falling head over heels in love with if she was not extremely careful.

She began to relax as she felt Draco pull her even closers and nuzzle his face into her long red hair. She would deal with all of the confusion and all of the new, although not wholly unwanted, emotions later. She forced herself to stop thinking about things that were, in all honesty, beyond her control and just enjoy the warmth and feel of Draco's amazing body as she floated off to sleep and dreamt of memories.

* * *

It had been a very long week since Ginny's breakdown over the loss of the little girl and despite her best efforts to dwell on the tragedy life was beginning to go back to normal.

She had only missed the one day of work and had spent the entire day just relaxing. When she had awoken the second time somewhere around noon Draco had not been there but he reemerged a few hours later just in time to drag Ginny down to an early dinner in the kitchens where she would not have to deal with the full force of the family. He continued to keep her close for the remainder of that evening, choosing to have her stay in his room and watch several muggle movies on the television that he had acquired during his days in muggle London and still had stashed in his room. That turned out to be the second night that she spent in Draco's room.

The next day though it was as if the magic spell they had been under had lifted. They both returned to their lives as usual and Ginny thought with more than a little disappointment that maybe the man that she had spent two days with would once again disappear. All indications pointed to such a tragedy when Draco did not show up for dinner that evening but not long after Ginny retired to her room for the evening to work on patient charts there was a knock on the bathroom door.

She opened it to reveal Draco, who appeared to have already changed out of his predictable suit and into jeans and a light t-shirt. He was holding a glass of pumpkin juice in one hand and balancing a plate with a sandwich and a book in the other.

When she invited him in, he settled himself on one side of the bed and began to engage in the activities he had brought to amuse himself. They sat there for two hours, not saying much but just inadvertently bonding by being close to each other.

The new and, in Ginny's opinion, improved Draco was not the only changes to occur in Malfoy Manor. Even though it was still a few weeks away the whole household was buzzing with the production of decorating the Manor for Christmas and getting ready for yet another ball, this time as the main festivities of Christmas Eve.

One night Ginny meandered around her room picking up dirty clothes, making the bed, just generally straightening up before she went to bed. It was oddly relaxing to her lately to clean; something about placing things that were disheveled back into their proper place made her feel like there was order to the world.

Just as she was beginning to sort through her clean clothes she heard a soft rap on the closed bathroom door. Well that could only be one person. "Come on in Draco." She called giving him the proper permission so that the door would let him in.

There was a soft click as it swung open and Draco let himself into her room, crossed the space and flung himself down onto her bed with an air of familiarity that made her oddly uncomfortable. Ever since his moment of compassion he seemed to be completely at ease with her once again and was more than happy to openly display some of the character traits from old Draco that Ginny had forgotten annoyed her to no end. These actions made her highly uncomfortable because they made her think of the past and the emotions that recent events had dredged up were making it harder and harder to keep in check.

"Make yourself comfortable." She said sarcastically trying to push away her previous feelings.

"Don't mind if I do." The cheeky bastard replied kicking off his shoes that probably cost more than some of her brothers made in a year.

She snorted rather unbecomingly in response.

Continuing to sort her clothes she leisurely eyed her arch-nemesis turned lover turned estranged acquaintance. This afternoon he was wearing a pair of black dress pants with a grey button down shirt that he had rolled up the sleeves on to make it more casual now that he had left 'work'. His hair was slightly tousled and beginning to spring loose of the demon goo that he kept it prisoner in. She finally settled on his face whose big grey eyes were staring straight at her with a maniacal edge and mouth had settled in to a self-satisfied smirk.

"Enjoying the view?"

"Of you? Destroying my newly made up bed? Hardly."

"Speaking of which, what are you doing exactly?" he inquired as he reached down and snagged up a pair of her black lacy panties. "Ooh, nice. Didn't know the little Weaselette would own something as naughty as these… oh wait, never mind, I remember." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Ginny snatched her undergarments away from him flushing a bright crimson red. "Give me that! Why are you here?"

"To bother you." He smirked in an irritatingly sexy way. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm cleaning my room."

Draco let out a bark of laughter that surprised Ginny. "Oh that's what's going on! I saw Blinky outside your door looking as if he was about to have heart failure but seeing this, the world makes sense again!"

"I know." Ginny said looking crestfallen. "It really upsets him when I try to clean up by myself. I'm afraid that he's going to have a heart attack."

"Do you think murdering of the household help would be good grounds for divorce?"

Ginny snorted in a rather unattractive way. "You could try but I don't think you would get very far, mostly due to the fact that your family likes me better than you and would therefore be character witnesses on my behalf."

Draco rolled over onto his stomach which further messed up the bed. "You're probably right but strangely that doesn't bother me. I don't actually need them anyway."

"Oh really?" Ginny questioned as she took her folded clothes over to her chest of drawers. "Then who exactly would fund your lavish lifestyle?"

"I would. I have my own business. I think your pillows are softer than mine. Can I steal one?" he snuggled farther down into the pillow that was currently clutched in his arms.

"Wait rewind, what business?" Ginny walked up to the head of the bed and yanked the pillow from his hands which received an annoyed glare from him.

Draco hoisted himself onto his elbows so he could look Ginny in the face. "I own an art gallery in France, Le Feu de Dragon."

"Really? Scoot." She smacked him on the shoulder in order to get him to roll over to the other side of the bed.

"Yes really. What did you think I did during the day? Stay here and twiddle my thumbs?"

"Well something along those lines." She smirked.

"Ha, ha, no since my family would never teach me the 'family businesses' I just went out and got my own. I was bored and spending a week at Pansy's villa right outside Grenoble, France. I was exploring the city and found a gallery in the magical region that was preparing to close so I bought it, fixed it up and reopened. That is where I go every day. I work while everyone else works."

"That's amazing." Ginny was in awe. In all the years she had known Draco she had never seen his eyes light up with the pride they held when talking about his gallery. It was amazing. "How long have you been running it?"

"Oh I don't know…about a year and a half I guess."

"Draco, don't take this the wrong way but I'm proud of you." Ginny smiled at him genuinely.

Draco looked up at her through his blond eyelashes and she almost thought she detected a slight blush to his pale feature. "It's really not a big deal."

"Tell me about it." She urged. "Please?"

"Ah." He said slightly surprised. "You want to know about it?"

She nodded vigorously. "I do."

He smiled slightly before launching into a description of the whole gallery, the people who he employed and the type of artists who had had shows recently. "That's where I vanish too. The nights I don't come home till late are nights where we have galla openings of new exhibits."

"Wow. I would love to see it!"

"Would you like to?" Draco asked almost shyly.

"Really?"

He nodded slowly.

Her eyes grew wide. She couldn't actually believe that Draco would be willing to share his secret world with her of all people. "Are you sure? It's your special place; I don't want to invade your privacy."

"No. I'm inviting you. I want you to see it… in fact we have an opening this Thursday, would you like to be my date?"

She chewed on her bottom lip as she contemplated. He was probably just being nice to her but she didn't want to force herself on him and she didn't want to be invited just because he was still worried about her. "I don't know Draco. I don't want to…"

"No, Ginny Weasley I would be honored if you would accompany later this week to the opening of our latest show."

She paused in contemplation but finally consented. It seemed as if he had now set his mind to it and fighting him would be useless as was demonstrated by the satisfied smirk that now graced his features.

"Good then it's settled." He said as he slipped off her bed and headed towards the bathroom and his own room. "Night Weasel."

He exited her room and crossed the bathroom back into his own much darker room. Why had he never noticed before how much brighter the colors were in her room as opposed to his own.

He walked over to his wardrobe. As he prepared to change he glanced into his full length mirror to see just what in his appearance she had found so fascinating. Well, he did look pretty good.

He had to smile as he thought of the blush that spread across her body. He had always found her blushing irresistibly adorable. Even tonight the only thing that kept him from scooping her up and ravishing the tiny woman all night was that tiny spark of animosity that he just couldn't let go of no matter how protective he had felt the last few days.

Thinking of Ginny's body had once again been a mistake. Now he would need to go take a very cold shower to get rid of a very hard problem between his legs.

* * *

Soon Thursday was upon them. Ginny was distracted all day at work and the closer it got to 5 o'clock when she was supposed to leave the more antsy she got. Finally she was able to leave the office and head home to get ready.

When she arrived Draco was already showered and in the bathroom with his dark blue towel secured around his waist as he shaved and did his hair.

"Hi." She said meekly as she stepped into the bathroom.

He turned around and smiled at her. "Hello, are we still on for tonight?"

She nodded. "I just need to get showered and then it will only take me a few minutes to get dressed and do my makeup, things like that."

"Do you mind if we share the bathroom? I was trying to be nearly ready by the time you arrived home but I ended up being forced to stay later. There was a slight catastrophe with some of the walls." He grimaced as he thought about his day.

"Did it all get resolved?" she asked as her face began to crease in real worry.

"Oh yes, don't worry about it. Everything should go fairly smoothly tonight."

She nodded and made her way over to the shower. She decided that it would just be easiest to go into the shower and disrobe there. She quickly showered and then exited to her room as fast as possible, not missing Draco's eyes trailing up and down what he could see of her wet body.

Not long after she was dressed and ready to go. She had decided to wear a brown spegetti strapped cocktail dress with a low v-neck that Narcissa had insisted she buy a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful flowing material with a string of rhinestones around the waist line and a jewel in the center that gave the garment and overall classic almost vintage appearance rather than the risqué look that it could have easily transformed into.

Ginny had swept her hair up off her neck and twisted it up into an elegant knot at the back of her head secured by a champagne colored, jeweled barrette that matched the rhinestones on the dress. The finishing touch on the outfit was a gold cloak which for the time being she just had draped over her arm. Overall she thought that she looked nice and hoped that Draco would approve. He had never actually given her the dress code for the event so she had just decided to wing it.

She crossed to the bathroom and knocked on the Draco's door. "Come on in." she heard him call from the other side.

When she stepped in Draco was in his mirror attempting to fix his tie.

Ginny's eyes trailed Draco's body. He looked amazing as always much to her chagrin. His hair was gelled back in its normal way and he was wearing perfectly pressed charcoal pants and a lighter gray, almost silver button down dress shirt.

"Do you need some help with that?" she inquired as she walked up behind him.

"I wouldn't turn it down if you're offering." He smirked as he turned to face her and released his grip on the tie. When his eyes focused on her though it was all he could do to keep from his mouth dropping open in shock at how amazing she looked.

Now it was her turn smirk. She stepped over and deftly did up his charcoal tie into an intricate knot. "There you go." She said smiling.

He turned back to the mirror and examined her handy work before nodding and grabbing his jacket off his bed. He offered Ginny his arm which she accepted and they made their way through the Manor to the apperating point.

* * *

After their long distance apperation Ginny and Draco ended up on a small street that was lined on both side by brightly lit shops and cafés with floating lights, all of which Ginny could tell were magical. They advertised, in French, things like broom, cauldrons and owls. The whole place reminded her very much of Diagon Alley.

Draco took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. He began to walk down the street and Ginny gladly followed, loving the atmosphere of the scene around her.

After about five minutes of strolling they ended up outside of a three story building that was painted bright green with a sign hanging outside that read Le Feu de Dragon. When Ginny realized that they had finally reached their destination she became giddy with anticipation. This was something entirely new and foreign to her perception of Draco and she could not wait to experience it.

"Alright, when we go in I'm going to have to take care of some last minute things I'm sure. I'll do a quick introduction with my staff first though."

She nodded and smiled at him.

The couple walked up the steps and entered the building. The first floor, she discovered, was entirely one large room with walls that were scattered in various places. There were about two or three people that were rushing about the room who appeared to straightening frames and testing the way that the walls moved.

Draco took her coat from her and stashed it in the coat check. He then returned and to introduce her to his staff.

"Hey you lot come on up to the front for a minute; I have someone I want you to meet." He called out and all the people who milled about did as they were asked and assembled at the front.

Ginny surveyed the group before her as they appeared. There were two men whom he introduced as Jacob and Daniel and one woman, Emily. As Draco introduced her to them each in turn they all seemed very nice albeit a bit shocked to find out that their boss was in fact recently married. Ginny looked forward to hopefully getting to know them at least a little better in the future.

After introductions everyone returned to their prior tasks and Draco gave her a quick tour of the upper floors which included his office on the third floor and the other three's offices and the massive, magically enhanced storage room on the second floor. They then returned to the gallery so that Draco could make sure everything was perfect before the doors officially opened.

Soon enough guests began arriving and Ginny was left on her own as Draco began to focus on the people whom he was welcoming. She slipped away from where he stood to explore.

She wandered her way through the gallery and took in the space around her. She looked not so much at the art moving on the walls as the way the walls themselves were moving and the colors that were chosen. It was amazing the amount of time and effort that Ginny could see in the exhibition and all of it was because of Draco.

She meandered slowly through and then headed back to the front where she had left her husband. She paused behind one wall where she could see him but he could not see her to observe him in his element and hear what was said but not be noticed.

She watched him engage with all those around him. She could tell that he had turned on the Malfoy charm but it was more than the normal game he would play in a crowd, he genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself and was interested in the artists and guests that surrounded him.

Yet again she could feel herself falling for the man in front of her, not old Draco or new Draco but this version who was better than all the others.

Suddenly the wall moved and her hiding spot was destroyed. Draco noticed her immediately and smiled brightly at her reemergence. He beckoned for her to join him in his circle which she obliged willingly.

"Gentlemen," he said as she approached. "I would like you all to meet my wife." She could hear what she thought sounded like pride in his voice as all the men around him oh-ed and ah-ed at her entrance into the conversation and graciously introduced themselves.

"So Mrs. Malfoy, what do you think of the exhibit?" one of the men who had introduced himself as one of the two artists on display asked.

"I think the entire gallery is amazing." She answered truthfully. She felt a tingle go up her spine as Draco settled his hand on the small of her back. She looked up at him and smiled. She was so glad that he had invited her and that she was able to experience this with him.

* * *

Finally the exhibit ended. Ginny slipped off her heels and helped the staff to magically straighten the gallery and store all the walls and paintings so that they wouldn't have to do it the next time they came into work.

Since everything had gone so well, Draco decided that they should all take the next day off in celebration. They all thanked him profusely. Ginny could tell that they loved him as a boss which just made her all the more proud of him because it showed just how many Malfoy stereotypes he was able to overcome to become such a well established and well respected boss.

When they all left it was just Draco and Ginny alone in the building. Draco grabbed one of the half drank bottle of wine that they had stashed in the corner to be dealt with later and scrounged two glasses and Ginny found a plate of leftover horderves for them to share. They both sat on the floor against one wall and relaxed in their formal wear mostly in silence.

Finally, Ginny turned to Draco and said simply, "This was amazing."

Draco twisted his head to look at her and smiled. He reached over and ran a finger down her cheek. "I'm glad you came."

"Me too."

* * *

"Red?" Draco called from the bathroom door scanning the room to see if his 'wife' was back from work yet. This whole process was becoming exceedingly tedious especially since he now spent a considerable amount of time in Ginny's room. He still felt nervous about leaving her alone since the whole incident with the little girl.

"Come on in Drae." Her voice came from the direction of the closet. What could she possibly doing in there now?

He crossed the room and peeked inside the slightly ajar door just as Ginny pulled her shirt over her head. Draco was slightly disappointed he had not arrived just a minute earlier but he inwardly scolded himself for such thoughts. He swung open the closet door and leaned against the door jamb to survey the woman in front of him.

She was wearing a light long sleeve cotton t-shirt in a forest green color and faded blue jeans. It was quite obvious that these were not clothes that had been bought for her by Malfoy funds. Draco thought that they suited her better than any he had seen her wear in the past months.

"All dressed up and nowhere to go?" he smirked one eyebrow raised.

She laughed and pushed passed him back into the main room. "As a matter of fact I do have somewhere to go, and so do you. Come on, you are too dressed up."

"Where are we going?" he asked apprehensively.

She only giggled and headed towards the bathroom in order to invade his room. He trailed after her not at all liking where this was going.

A few minutes later Ginny cried out in triumph and emerged from his closet holding up a black t-shirt and tossing it at Draco. "Bloody hell I thought I would never find a simple t-shirt through all the suits. What is wrong with you? Don't you like to be comfortable anymore?"

Draco chuckled and set the shirt on the bed next to the thick charcoal jumper she had already picked out. "In case you haven't noticed, Malfoy life doesn't call for many casual ensembles." He unbuttoned the first few buttons on the blue dress shirt he was currently wearing and untucked the bottom from the waistband of his perfectly pressed jeans. He stripped off the shirt and faced Ginny. "Are these pants appropriate for whatever the hell you are dragging me to?"

Ginny had to focus really hard to formulate an answer to his question while he stood in front of her half naked in all his glory. "That depends, do you mind if they get dirty?" she slyly asked.

He narrowed his eyes and answered cautiously. "No, not particularly."

"Then yes they are fine."

Draco slipped into the shirt. "What are we doing Ginny?"

"We are going to help de-gnome the garden."

Draco blond eyebrows shot up. "What the bloody hell does that mean?"

Now it was Ginny's turn to laugh. "Have you never heard of a Garden Gnome?"

"Yes of course, they were mentioned in some of our books at school."

"Oh wow this should be fun then." She continued to laugh as she walked into the bathroom back to her room leaving him there still confused. "Get changed."

* * *

Sorry it took forever! But here is the next chapter. I was focusing on finishing up the last couple chapters of my other story Falling For a Ferret which is now complete (YAY and *tear*) and now I can focus more on this one… although I have a new idea for yet another story but anyway, yeah Chapter 19 all done. I really enjoyed this chapter because they are headed in yet another direction from all their normal ups and down. Let me know what you think and thanks to everyone who a. is still sticking with me and b. everyone who reviewed the last chapter!

33 Care


	20. Just Go For It

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 20: Just Go For It

* * *

Draco trailed behind Ginny as they walked up the front walkway to the funny little house the Weasleys called The Burrow. He had only ever been here the one other time when Ginny had dragged him here with Hallie to break the news to the family that they were losing their baby girl to big bad Draco Malfoy... even if it were only for a short time.

Draco mentally smacked himself. For some reason his brain kept trying to discount that last part and the worst part was he wasn't all that upset about it.

He surveyed Ginny as she skipped up the steps. He forced himself to think normally and not focus too much on her perfect arse in the relaxed jeans that she barely had the opportunity to wear in the last few months.

Suddenly she spun around on the steps and smiled at him. "Come on." She said in a bemused tone. "You don't have anything to be nervous about this time. You've already broken the worst news that I was marrying you, and besides today isn't even going to be everybody."

"Psh, that's easy for you to say. We might already be married but they still hate me."

She flipped her long red curls over her shoulder and laughed. "That is true… but you're already here so stop worrying about it. If you're on your best behavior they will be too."

She held out her hand and he though he still wasn't sure this was a good idea he grimaced and took it as he climbed the three steps.

"Just remember I hate you." He whispered as she swung open the door and stepped through it in front of him.

When he followed he was immediately struck by the warm sweet smell that wafted throughout the cramped house. It smelled like cinnamon and apples and was filled with the joyous voices from an adjacent room. Draco thought that this was exactly how a home was supposed to be.

"Earth to Drae!" Ginny said suddenly shaking him from his musings. "Hey you, come on."

He smiled at her, nodded and followed her towards the din.

They entered the kitchen to find not the whole family was he expected but Ron, Hermione, Harry and his wife Allison. They were all sitting around the table with coffee and large plate of apple turnovers between them.

"Hey mates!" Ginny enthusiastically said to break into their conversation.

They all exchanged pleasantries with Ginny and the women even made an effort with Draco, although the men only nodded.

"Well I suppose now that you are here we should probably get to work." Harry said pragmatically.

"Yes we should. You boys go start; I have something I want to ask Ginny and Allie." Hermione said as she stood up from the table.

"As long as you actually come help." Ron muttered.

"Of course." Hermione assured, flashing him a grin and kissing him on the cheek. "This will only take us a few minutes."

The first two couples began to file out when Draco gave Ginny a desperate look.

"I don't know what the bloody hell I am doing!" he urgently whispered. "Can I just wait for you lot to be done?"

"No!" she hissed back. "Go out and socialize with them. It will be good for all of you!"

"I don't want to." He whined.

"Tough." She insisted quietly before raising her voice to call out to her brother, "Ron, show Draco what to do, please. He has never done this before… and if you mess with him you will have me to answer to." She added as an afterthought in response to both their repulsed faces and giving her brother a hard look as she allowed herself to be pulled up the stairs by Allison and Hermione.

Ron grumbled but did not protest his sister's command. He and Harry both had been reprimanded earlier by their own significant others that they had to play nice with Draco for Ginny or there would be sever consequences later on.

All three men dutifully filed out the back door, one after the other, and then headed out into the large expanse of the back yard.

"Alright, watch Malfoy, this is how it is done." Ron said in a gruff voice. He really was not pleased that he was the one who got stuck making sure the bloody little beasts didn't take the bugger's finger off. Gods know if they did Ron would never hear the end of it from Ginny… sometimes he just didn't believe that Ginny had only a passing interest in her husband. "Alright so first you grab one once it comes out of its tunnel," he demonstrated by yanking one of the small brown creatures that looked like a potato with spindly legs out of the ground. "Then you swing it around your head a few time until it is good and dizzy, then you launch it as far as you can out of the garden and repeat. You got that?" he asked as he brushed off his hands.

"Seems straight forward enough." Draco said nodding as at least two dozen or so of the creatures bursts out of their holes and began to run around to see what the commotion was.

Ron nodded back and then walked away from the blond man over to where his Harry was working.

Draco briefly watched him walk away before turning back to the task at hand. He had to admit to himself that he was slightly uncomfortable with the whole process. The gnomes seemed to be inexplicably menacing little creatures even though the whole family claimed that they were mostly harmless. He carefully snatched one from the ground at his feet and swung it around his head. The sooner they got this over with, the sooner Ginny would let them go home.

* * *

Ginny followed the girls up to what used to be her old room and shut the door behind them. "Alright, what is going on?" she asked.

Hermione was bounding and looking giddier than Ginny had ever seen her. "I think he is finally going to do it!" she squealed.

Allison and Ginny exchanged look of confusion. "Do what?"

Hermione sighed and tried again. "I think Ron is going to ask me to marry him! I found a little black box in his coat pocket the other day and that can only mean one thing right?"

All three girls immediately began to bounce and squeal. They were overjoyed for their friend even if a little black box didn't have to without a doubt contain a ring.

They all launched into future wedding details, all three overjoyed over the next few months.

After a few more giddy minutes, the girls all headed back down the stairs and out into the yard. They all had doubts that their men were behaving themselves.

Ginny also had the added bonus of feeling awful about leaving Draco alone with Ron and Harry, especially considering all their history together.

When they finally made their way out to the back garden what they saw took them by surprise. All three men had shed their outer layer and were sitting around on the grass, each with a butterbeer and not a gnome in sight. They were all sweaty and dirty but surprisingly they were laughing, even Draco had cracked what appeared to be a real smile.

"Did we just step into the twilight zone?" Hermione asked.

"What's the twilight zone?" Ron asked still laughing.

"It's a muggle tv show about a surreal universe that couldn't possibly exist."

"That seems about accurate." Ginny agreed.

"Well we had to do something since you lot managed to magically avoid all the work." Draco smirked. "We all decided that we deserved a drink."

"Well at least you did something for once." Ginny quipped back. "I hope it didn't hurt you, although who knows, all three of you seem like you might have gone through battle with the gnomes. You are absolutely disgusting."

"Oh really?" Draco said with a maniacal glint in his eye. He slowly got to his feet. "You don't like getting dirty Gin?"

"Oh no Malfoy." She said holding up her hands and slowly backing away. "Draco, I know what you are thinking and if you touch me…"

She didn't have the opportunity to finish her sentence because the next thing she knew Draco had pounced on her and dragged her to the ground to roll in the loose dirt that their previous work had turned up.

Ginny sprung up and away from her husband, still unsure whether she wanted to laugh or just punch him. "I hate you." She sputtered, finding she had somehow gotten dirt in her mouth along with her hair and all over her clothes.

Draco just sat up and started laughing. He was quite obviously proud of himself and was enjoying his handiwork. He slowly got to his feet and went to Ginny's side with his arms outstretched as if to hug her.

"No!" Ginny said trying to push his much larger frame away from her. "You are in serious trouble now! I'm going to tell your house-elf and then you'll have to deal with the wrath of Lilith."

Draco pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her hair. "I'm sorry." He said when he pulled back giving her an impish grin.

The other four watched all these proceedings with a sort of sick fascination. Ron and Harry were especially confused. They could not comprehend exactly what was happening in front of them. They thought they saw their little sister blatantly flirting with her arch-nemesis husband but they absolutely had to be crazy. Well either that or Ron's earlier suspicions were actually correct… but they didn't even want to consider that possibility.

Ginny pushed away from Draco and turned back to her friends. "Alright mates, we have to get going. I promised that we would be home for dinner and Narcissa will have both our heads if we are late."

The pair said their goodbyes and headed home.

* * *

Draco swung open the door to Ginny's room on Saturday evening and spotted her working on some charts at her desk.

He lightly knocked on the door to grab her attention. "Hey Gin, I just wanted to let you know that I am going to meet Blaise and Theo for a couple drinks at the Leaky Cauldron. Theo has literally been harassing us for a week now and Blaise and I both finally gave in."

She looked up and smiled at him. "Ok have fun. Give them both my love. I'll tell your mum you won't be around for dinner."

"Thanks." He smiled. then he headed down the stairs to the apperation point next to the kitchens and then apperated directly to the Leaky Cauldron to meet his friends.

When he arrived Blaise and Theo were both already there with a round already waiting for him.

"Hey mates." He greeted them in what could only be described as a cheerful manner for the Slytherin. He slid into the booth next to Blaise and took a swig of Butterbeer carefully spiked by Tom the bartender with red currant rum. Then he said, "Alright Theo, what is all this about?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh no, don't play dumb mate. You have been harassing us to go out for quite some time now, that's not normal for you Theo. What is it?"

"What? Can't a bloke just want to go for a drink with his mates?"

"No." Blaise and Draco said, almost in unison.

"Fine." Theo said looking a bit deflated. "I'm just confused. I was hoping you lot could help me sort through my…" He paused almost as if he was choking on the words. "Feelings for Hallie."

"That's it. I'm out." Draco said trying to slide out and escape. He avoided all and any dealings with own feelings and emotions, and thus he really felt uncomfortable with discussing other people's emotions, not to mention that he was in no way qualified to give anyone else advice.

"Not so fast." Blaise said, grabbing his arm to stay his escape. "He is our friend and you will sit and help him Malfoy."

"…Fine." Draco eventually conceded. He knew Blaise was determined and thus there was no stopping him. "Sometimes you are such a woman Blaise."

"Ah, you only say that because I have been in a stable and loving relationship for several years and thus I am not emotionally crippled like you are."

"Probably."

Blaise smirked. Rarely did Draco admit that he was wrong and it was a nice feeling to actually be right. "Go on Theo."

"Well mostly I just wanted to know how you knew that you were in love."

"I don't follow you." Draco said dryly.

"Basically, how did you know Ginny was the one?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked again. "I don't know that she is the one. Actually I'm fairly certain that she is not. I know about the girl I'm looking for and thus far it hasn't been Ginny."

"Although it's interesting that you aren't denying that you have feelings for her…"

"Shut it Blaise."

"I don't understand…" Theo cut in. "How can you be so certain?"

"It's hard to explain." Draco sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He really didn't want to get into all this but he supposed with Blaise sitting here he had no real choice.

"Don't worry, he's going to try." Blaise assured.

"Well back in our seventh year, once Ginny had disappeared…"

* * *

Draco trudged into his last class of the day, two hours of NEWT level Potions. Finally a class he would enjoy. There was just something about taking all the right ingredients and making something completely different that made Draco feel that there might be some order left in the world.

_Order was something he needed right now. It had been two weeks since Ginny had left and classes were the order that kept him from falling apart. _

_This class was also hazardous though. While all the mixing and chopping and stirring were being done by his body it gave his mind too much time to wander. If he wasn't careful flashes of red would begin to flash across his mind and then he would become pathetically incapacitated by the memory of his perfect first love._

_Even this close to thinking about her was too much. As he approached the door to the potions classroom he pushed all thoughts of her into a vault in his mind to be safely locked away. _

_Draco walked into the Potions room, set his bag down and began to lay out all he would need for that days class. Once everything he needed was laid out Draco looked up and discovered that he was the only one in the room. He glanced at his watch and discovered that he had somehow made it to class nearly two hours early. How could he be such an idiot? _

_Just then he heard someone clear their throat at the back of the room. He twisted around to see Professor Slughorn standing there looking at him curiously. _

"_Mr. Malfoy you are aware that our class does not being for another two hours?" the large man inquired as he waddled his way to his desk at the front of the room. _

"_Yes professor, I actually just realized that. I must made a mistake. I think my friends may have magically changed all the clocks in my room as a joke." That sounded like a plausible reason for his own stupidity. When in doubt blame Blaise right?_

"_Well since you are here would you like to just do the assignment now? I have a meeting to attend but I think I can trust the head boy not to blow the lab up."_

"_Would you mind professor? I really wouldn't mind doing it now and getting a jump on my homework tonight."_

"_Of course not my dear boy, I trust you. Besides we are just beginning to review some of the old potion to get ready for you N.E. in June. Today I have planned for your year to once again brew Amortentia. Alright well I'm off. If you finish before class, which I'm sure you will, just place a vial on my desk and make sure it is clearly marked."_

"_Thank you professor!" Draco said to the large man as he waddled back out of the room. _

_When Slughorn was officially gone Draco turned back to this prepared work station. Well great not only was he alone with his thoughts of… Ginny but he would be making a love potion. Did the cosmos hate him or something?_

_It must. He decided to stop dwelling on it and just get this whole thing over with. He quickly gathered the ingredients and set about adding the correct amounts to the cauldron in the correct order with the required actions that insured the success of the potion. _

_After an hour or so the potion began to take on the familiar iridescent mother-of-pearl sheen with distinctive curling spirals. It was perfect, so perfect in fact that Draco could not resist waiting just a few more moments to enjoy the amazing smells that accompanied the potion which were so perfectly individualized to what attracted each person who came in contact with it._

_He did not have to wait long. Soon a combination of overpowering scents washed over him. The first two were easily recognizable to him; there was the smell of the air after a rainstorm and the crisp scent of a perfect new broom. The third scent though Draco could not quite place. It was amazing and familiar but he did not know where he knew it from. _

_It was a light floral scent almost like a perfume that could only belong to a woman. Draco did not know how but he was sure that the scent belonged to the woman he would spend the rest of his life with. _

_One thing he knew for certain though, was that it did not belong to the girl who had vanished in the middle of the night. If it had been her he should have been able to place it immediately. No, the love potion was definitely telling him that… Ginny Weasley was not, in fact, the girl of his dreams. _

_From now on he would spend his time looking for the girl who smelled just like this and he would learn to push his last love far from his mind. _

* * *

"So…. What does all that mean?" Theo asked.

"It means that the idiot has been sleeping around for the last three years so that he could be exposed to as many women's perfumes as possible." Blaise said matter of factly. He had always thought that this particular plan of Draco's had be absolutely idiotic. He and Luna both knew that Draco and Ginny were meant to be together but convincing their best friends had proved next to impossible.

"Oh thank you Blaise." Draco said dryly.

"What? You know I'm right."

"Ok…" Theo said slowly. He was still trying to process all that his friend was trying to tell him with his story. "So what do I do about Hallie?"

"Well obviously all this story means is that Draco is not the person to be asking for advice."

Draco rolled his eyes and sighed. "I believe I pointed that out at the beginning of the conversation and you were the one who forced me to stay and participate."

"You are both being useless to me right now." Theo cut in. "Blaise, how did you know you loved Luna?"

"Uh, she screamed at me on a beach and I just blurted it out. It wasn't really something I thought about, my mouth went around my brain on that one."

"Yeah, but there must have been some sign that you picked up on?"

"Oh bloody hell." Draco said, exasperated. "Theo do you love the woman?"

"Uh… I don't know because I have actually known Hallie for years and we were briefly together in curse breaking school but then my father caught wind of my whereabouts again and I was back on the run. I know that my disappearing without a word hurt her. She is very different now, more guarded and I think I am the one who did that. She bounces back and forth between sweet and affectionate and fiercely defensive and untrusting. I am never sure how to act around her."

"For gods sake Theo, don't think about it, just answer."

"Yes."

"Then tell her that."

"I don't think it's that simple."

It took all of Draco's will power to not just give up and go home in that instant. "Theo, it is that simple. Tell the woman you love her."

* * *

Theo took a deep breath and then threw the floo powder into the fire before clearly stating the name of the flat complex where Hallie lived. He made his way up to her flat and then knocked on the door patiently waited for Hallie to let him in.

He heard her bounce to the door and unlock it. The door swung open to reveal the slightly disheveled, crazy, beautiful blond object of his affection.

"Hi," Hallie said smiling as she stepped aside to let him in. "I didn't know you were going to come by tonight. I thought you were supposed to meet Draco and Blaise."

Theo couldn't help but watch her every movement as she flitted around like a fairy between the kitchen and the sitting room where he had already settled himself. This was part of the routine that they had unspokenly established. First she would self-consciously hurry about to try and find something for them to eat or drink and then in a few minutes he would capture her and force her to relax.

Until then he was perfectly happy to just sit back and enjoy.

Finally, Hallie did sit down and she turned and smiled at him. "I'm glad you came over. I wasn't expecting to get to see you until Monday at work. Now I can ask you what you're expecting to wear to the Malfoys' ball."

He smiled as she chattered. "I don't know… I figured I would just wear black dress robes because that should match whatever you are going to wear since I don't know the color of your gown yet."

Hallie stopped and looked at him wide eyed. "…You want to match me?"

Theo's smile faltered. "Well I just assumed after the last few months we would at least unofficially be going to the ball together."

"No… that's fine with me I suppose. I just didn't know that we were at that stage… or any stage in a relationship rather."

"Well…" he began slowly. It was now or never. He had to say something to her that much he had decided. "I wouldn't mind if we were in an official relationship of some kind at least."

"Theo, where is this going?" Hallie looked at him wearily. She was already terrified of where this conversation was going.

He was silent for a moment and dropped his eyes from hers. "I think… I love you." He said quietly.

Hallie balked. Surely she had heard him incorrectly. "What did you say?"

"I said I love you." He looked back up at her.

She turned completely white and sucked in a breath. He couldn't be serious.

"Hallie… Hallie please look at me love." Theo begged. He tried to reach out and take her hand but she quickly withdrew it, out of his reach.

"I think you should go now." She whispered.

"What?" he asked, distraught.

She said nothing more just stood up and walked back down the hallway before firmly shutting the door to her room.

Theo had no choice but let himself out though he felt like his heart was broken into a million pieces.

* * *

Sunday morning Hallie woke up feeling numb. She had cried herself to sleep the night before, torn by all the emotions swirling inside her. She did not know how she felt about Theo. She had never decided and then him springing his declaration of love was just too much for her. She had behaved poorly at the end with the way she asked him to leave but she was in too much shock to do anything else. If he ever spoke to her again she would have to apologize for at least that part of her behavior.

She rolled over in her bed and pulled the soft covers up over her head. She wondered if anyone would mind if she just died right there right now. Well, it wasn't a real question. She knew Ginny and Luna would at the very least be displeased… and then there was of course there was Theo but she really didn't want to think about that.

Besides she had to go shopping for the next random Malfoy ball and be allowed for the Malfoy family to foot yet another bill for her. She really hated that they always paid for her gowns but she really didn't have a choice. There was no way that she could afford the copious amount of gowns their lifestyle required and the Malfoy women had made it perfectly clear that with Ginny's marriage Hallie had been officially adopted and would be expected at all and any Malfoy extravaganzas.

Hallie let out a long and dramatic sigh and rolled out of bed. She made her way down the hall and forced herself to go through her daily routine in order to make herself presentable.

Once she was dressed she discovered that she still had over an hour before she was supposed to meet Ginny and Luna for lunch. There was just no way though that Hallie was going to be able to sit by herself without either going crazy or just going back to bed to die.

No, she had to leave now that she had gone through all the effort to get ready. She decided that she should apperate over to the Manor and pass the time with Ginny. She would have to catch her best friend up on all the crazy that her life was devolving into sooner or later so why not right now?

That was, at least, if she could pry Ginny and Draco apart for five minutes. For a pair who claimed to have so much hatred for one another, they sure did spend a lot of their time together nowadays.

Hallie apperated right to the front door of the Manor and then knocked on the door. She waited patiently for one of the houselves let her in. after a few moments a scared little elf, a female that was smaller than Draco's Lilith actually, allowed her entrance. She made her way up to Ginny's room behind the elf and then let herself in.

"Hi babe, it's me." She called out.

"Oh hey! I didn't realize that you were coming over early. I'll be out in a second." She heard Ginny's voice say from the direction of the bathroom. "Bloody hell, can you believe that we have to go gown shopping _again_? I feel like we need a new bloody dress every other day."

Hallie laughed once but it held no real mirth. She was barely keeping her emotions in check after the previous night. Pretending to be okay was a lot harder than she had anticipated. "I know, right? It feels like every ten minutes we are back in that shop. And then none of the clothes have price tags on them. That just scares me. It has to mean that it would be a number that is close to my monthly salary."

"Actually I think that Narcissa has them magic away all the tags before we get there so you and I don't put up any more of a fight than we normally do." She said sarcastically as she exited the bathroom while in the process of stabbing the last pin into the elegant everyday knot she had twisted her hair up into.

But all her laughter died immediately with one look at her best friend. "What happened?" she asked, her voice full of genuine concern.

Hallie tried yet again to laugh. "Of course you would just look at me and know I was upset. Couldn't you at least have the decency to pretend that my acting skills were fooling you for at least a few minutes?"

"Hell no. It doesn't matter how good of an actress you are love, I am your best friend so I would be able to tell anyway. Now again, what happened?"

"I don't even know… for some reason Theo decided to tell me he loved me last night."

Ginny looked at her confused. "And this is a bad thing?"

"Yes… no… I don't know! I need your advice. I don't know what I'm doing Gin."

"Just tell him how you feel Hallie. It is that simple! You know that you have serious feelings for Theo that you don't want to admit. Just tell him." She said matter of factly as she turned to face her mirror.

Hallie felt herself inexplicably bristle at her best friend's comment. "Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?"

Ginny spun around and raised an eyebrow at her, "Excuse me? What was that? I'm just trying to help you."

"Yeah but you make the whole thing seem like it is the simplest thing in the entire world when we both know for a fact that you have spent the last three months battling with the exact same thing and have not resolved you problems but in fact made then exponentially worse. So don't tell me to just tell him how I feel when you know good and damn well that you could never and would never do the same thing."

"Hey, my issues go a lot deeper than your thing with Theo…well not deeper just different. Draco and I had a real relationship and he is a completely different person than he used to be. You though, you got Theo back and he is not only just as good as you remember him but better and as an added bonus he is obviously head over heels in love with you and is trying to show you that. You are just scared baby."

Hallie sat down in the chair behind her and nodded her head. "I know." She whispered as tears began to silently slide down her cheeks. "God! I feel so stupid!"

Ginny crossed the room and kneeled down in front of her friend. "Hallie, love, don't cry."

"I just can't get close to him again. Last time I let myself have actual feelings for him I lost him. I only knew him for a few days but he broke my heart just the same. Now with the arrangement we have we both just have random, hot and slightly angry sex. It is emotionally charged and amazing but still just sex and though I always enjoy it, I want to make love to him. That is the one thing I can't let myself do because I can't trust him not to leave again."

"But Hallie," Ginny said, brushing a tear from her friend's cheek. "How do you know he's going to go anywhere? It sounds like he has been considering it to be more for quite some time and you are the one who chose to miss the memo. He has obviously stuck around this long for a reason; you should give him a chance."

"He said he loved me." She whispered.

"Why do you say that like it's a bad thing?"

"Because it is."

"No love, it is beautiful and amazing and I think you need to seriously consider letting him back in. make it a probational thing even. We both know you are well on your way to being fully in love but tell him you need things to be dialed back. Take it slow."

"I'll think about it." Hallie promised.

"Good." Ginny said getting up from her kneeling position. "Do you feel up to food and shopping today?"

"Well I'm not sure I have much choice do I? Christmas Eve is in less than two weeks."

"True story. I guess we better get this over with then."

* * *

It's back. I'm back. My semester is over. I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me. I promise I have another chapter that is nearly done. I will post it in a few days or so. My present to all of you who are so mad that I have been so lax in posting. It hasn't been intentional I promise! Writing and a full course load just didn't really mesh this time.

I love you all who reviewed and who have stuck by me! Some of you complements and even the threats should I not continue made me smile even amidst this awful semester. The end is in sight!

3 Care


	21. Pansy's Advice

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 21: Pansy's Advice

* * *

Ginny and Hallie both aperated to Hogsmeade. They were supposed to meet Luna at one of the cafes that lined the street. They made their way through the sparse crowd of people around them and into the designated meeting place.

Luna was already there at a table far in the back but she wasn't alone. Sitting across from her with their back turned to the door was another woman with shoulder length black hair. As the pair approached the table it became clear to Ginny who the woman was, Pansy Parkinson.

"You're here!" Luna said joyfully, standing to hug both of her friends. "Ladies I would also like you to meet, or rather re-meet I suppose for you Ginny, Ms. Pansy Parkinson."

Pansy stood and greeted the women. "It's so nice to see you again Ginny. It really has been quite a long time. And you of course must be Hallie."

The other two greeted her and then the entire quartet sat down at the table.

"I'm sorry but how do you know my name?" Hallie inquired.

Pansy chuckled, "Oh love, I know so much more about you then know."

Hallie looked at her inquisitively. "You care to elaborate on that."

Luna stopped them short. "Oh no, we have things to do today dear ones. First we order food then we talk about boys."

Suddenly the pieces fell into place for Ginny and she groaned loudly and seriously considered banging her head down on the table. "Really?"

"And she gets it." Pansy laughed. She really was enjoying this process already.

"Well I'm still lost." Hallie chimed in.

"Pansy grew up with Blaise... and Draco... and Theo." Ginny said despondently.

"Ooooh! Uggggh..."

"Aren't they so smart?" Luna asked in a tone so sweet that the sarcasm almost got lost.

Right at that moment the waiter approached the table to take their orders and the group continued with everyday small talk piloted by Luna until the food arrived a few minutes later.

"Alright now we can begin. So dear ones I invited Pansy to join us this afternoon so that she can share some of her wonderful insight into the minds of our favourite Slytherins for both of you just as she once did for me."

"What sort of advice?" Ginny asked sceptically.

"The kind that will help you both fix your unwanted relationships with your Slytherins."

"I don't know if I want that advice." Hallie chimed in.

"Oh but you are going to get it anyway." Pansy insisted. "Luna is right, I have been forced together with those three my entire life. No one knows them better than I do, not even each other. They all talked to me at least on a weekly basis and I am kept up to date on their lives. That used to be so that I could keep tabs on them when they were single and stupid but now it is just a routine because they are my best friends. I don't advertise this much but I am a bit of a seer in that I can just sense things about people. You both are confused but right on the verge of accepting that you definitely have feelings for these men. I know how all three of them work and I know that you are both wary of the type of advice I might give you but trust me when I say that this knowledge will help you out in the long run."

"It helped me." Luna added.

"Wait," Ginny interrupted. "When were you ever having problems with Blaise?"

"Back around the time we hit our two year mark and I almost broke up with him too. Had Pansy not been visiting we probably would not be getting married right now."

"What did he do?"

"Oh you know how Blaise is, he is a complete pain in the arse. He is annoying as anything and has more sarcasm than twenty people need."

"But I told her that that was the best way Blaise knew how to express himself and if she actually listened to the words of what he said and the message behind them you could find out how he truly felt about a subject. I gave her a tool to see behind the well rehearsed apathy."

"And she said that it was all his mother's fault!"

"Well not exactly, I'm pretty sure I said it was a coping mechanism of the pureblood lifestyle in which he was raised."

"Exactly," Luna beamed. "It was all his mother's fault. She broke him and since I got a defective model of my true love I get to spend the rest of her life making it a little more miserable."

All three of the other women couldn't help but giggle at the sentiment. Sweet and caring Luna Lovegood had never in her life found a person she truly disliked to the point of going out of her was to do something unkind until she had met her future mother in law. Her revenge plot was so out of character that it was hysterical.

"So back to you two. Mrs. Malfoy I believe I would like to start with you. Overall I feel like you have been doing a good job at re-establishing a relationship with your former flame. You both seem to be discovering the new versions of each other that will help you move on, especially lately if Draco owls do any justice to your lives. I am confident that you will be able to figure him out Ginny."

"You though," Pansy said turning on Hallie. "For you I have entirely different instructions."

"I know, I know, I have to tell him how I feel."

"No not at all actually. You, dear one, do not yet know how you actually feel. You do not have all the facts you need in order to make an educated decision on what exactly you want to do about your future, especially regarding Theo."

"I'm confused."

"Let me put it more simply for both of you. Hallie, you are on the verge of losing Theo. He has never taken kindly to rejection and if you don't do something soon he will be gone and this time it will be forever. You need to talk to him whether you want to or not and ask him about his past and what part you played in it.

You on the other hand," she said turning to Ginny. "You have used up your quota of delving into the past. You and Draco both need to forget about what happened before and focus on the now. You are both very different people now then you were before and it is not fair to either of you to be constantly compared to your younger, less worldly selves. Move on and get to know the man that you are currently married to not the boy that you loved back then because they are no longer the same person."

The end of her speech was greeted by silence. Both Ginny and Hallie were uncomfortably contemplating

Pansy on the other hand chuckled as yet another thought popped into her head. "Bet you liked it better when I was Pansy the Pug-face and you were the Weaselette, eh Ginny?"

Ginny could do nothing but snort. She decided that it was better to focus her attentions on her salad and not make a comment.

* * *

After lunch the women exited the cage and meandered through Hogsmeade as they window shopped their way down the streeey. Finally they made it to the dress shop. Ginny would never understand why it was that women had to buy a new gown for every single event while men could have two or three sets of dress robes and could wear them for every occasion. The Malfoy rule of never wearing the same gown to more than one event just seemed excessive but Salvia and Narcissa insisted so Ginny obliged.

It was a miracle that they actually made it into the store though because just before they went inside Ginny threw what could only be described as a hissy fit.

"You can't make me go in there."

"Oh Gin," Luna said soothingly. "Don't look at this as a punishment. We're girls, shopping is fun. Remember? You like shopping!"

"No, no I don't." Ginny insisted crossing her arms over her chest. "Not anymore. Being a Malfoy killed all the fun."

Pansy made a noise that sound distinctly like a snort. "Oh sweetheart, you've only been a Malfoy for a few months. You now understand why I boycotted all this crap after 20 years of this."

"You are not helping your case for me staying with the bugger are you?"

"I cannot tell a lie about this part of the lifestyle."

Eventually though the group was able to convince to venture inside and thank goodness no one was disappointed by the trip. As usual after trying on a few different styles each all four women found exactly the gown that suited them best.

Despite her protests, Ginny insisted on following through with Narcissa's request that the Malfoys once again pay for Hallie's gown. She tried on a few different options before this time choosing an amazing gold charmeus gown with sparkling beading that detailed the collar and the dropped waist with an entirely open back.

Luna happily perused the store and yet again only needed to try on one gown to make her decision. It was a silver gown with a bodice entirely bejeweled in tiny crystals. The empire waist then gave way to light shimmering waves of material that fell all the way to the ground. Luna happily added it to the Zabini tab and threw in a matching crystal bracelet in silent protest against her mother in law who still didn't approve of her marriage to Blaise.

Pansy, despite having grown up in this world of glamour, was not used to having to dress up for such formal events ever since her escape from society. Really the only event she ever went to anymore was the Malfoy Christmas Eve Ball. She therefore was almost entirely at a loss for what to wear and required all three women to help her find the perfect gown and after a few tries found the perfect gown. It was a strapless midnight blue gown with a unique spread out neckline and a rosette adorning the waist.

Ginny though, was of course the most difficult to dress. She tried on four different gowns before the owner of the salon insisted on fitting her into an emerald green gown that was ruched at various different points with the same sweetheart neckline that always seemed to flatter her the most. This dress seemed to put all the others she had worn to shame as her red hair reflected off the green. It was perfect and Draco was going to drop dead when he saw her.

Later, after all their chores to get ready for the ball were complete, the four women separated off into pairs to head home. Hallie went back to the Manor with Ginny to fetch one of Ginny's sweaters that she wanted to borrow and Pansy and Luna headed off in the opposite direction, meandering down the main street of Hogsmeade towards the long distance apperation point that Pansy would use to get home.

As they walked their conversation almost immediately steered its way back to the women whom they had just parted with.

"So is that actually how you feel about what Hallie and Ginny should do?" Luna asked Pansy almost as soon as Ginny and Hallie had disapperated. "Because I know when you gave me advice it was twisted ever so slightly because you knew I wouldn't actually follow what you said."

Pansy laughed. "Oh Looney, you caught me at least with Hallie. I might have exaggerated the rate at which Theo will give up on her. She just genuinely doesn't understand all that he has gone through in his life and why he had to do what he did. She really does need to talk to him and I hope that my exaggeration might spur her in the right direction more quickly than letting her find out on her own would. I wrote to Theo all through the years he was on the run and not once did he mention a girl until he met her. And I know that even though they only had one night together she touched something inside of him and he has never been able to let her go. He has traveled all over the world and yet the girl he always came back to was Hallie. It sounds crazy but I could tell just by meeting her today that she is as amazing as he has always painted her. I see why he is so in love. They are perfect for each other."

"So really you just think this is a waiting game to see how long until Hallie works up the nerve to talk to him?"

"Pretty much. She will get there, we all just have to wait. Now Ginny on the other hand, with her I think for the very first time I gave someone my full and honest opinion and I still know that it won't be enough."

Luna looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that no matter what I do or say to either of them there is only one possible outcome for this relationship. She is going to completely disregard everything I said and continue to dwell on what happened all those years ago; they both will. In fact, I feel that they will eventually find a way to mend their relationship and be together but then they are going to beat to death their memories and preconceived notions of each other to the point that the process will find some way to drive a wedge so far between them that everything they have built up will crumble apart."

Luna was silent for a moment. She knew Pansy was right. Draco and Ginny would both behave in exactly the manner she described. Luna herself could already see the beginning stages of this process and had witnessed firsthand how Ginny head dealt with most of it. "Do you think they will be able to fix it?"

Pansy smiled sadly, "I don't know. I hope so. If they do one thing is definitely for sure, they will never be apart again."

Not long after the two friends said their goodbyes and both apperated back to their homes.

When Luna arrived at the flat she shared with Blaise she let herself in and hung up her coat in closet just inside the door. It had been a stressful afternoon dealing with all of Hallie and Ginny's drama and on top of that she had enough of her own on mind. She needed to have a serious talk with Blaise, which was no small feat but she had an announcement that she had to make.

Once her coat was secure she then found that she was pleasantly surprised by a wonderful smell greeting her nostrils.

She decided to explore further as she made her way through living room towards the door to the kitchen which was uncharacteristically shut.

She swung open the door and was greeted with site of a shirtless Blaise wearing only a pair of jeans and what appeared to be her frilly pink cooking apron that had belonged to her mother. She began to giggle which caused her fiancé to turn around with a big grin on his face.

"You're home!" he said gleefully brandishing his stirring spoon.

The site of him from the front was even better than she ever could have imagined. The frilly pink apron barely covered a third of his well tanned, muscular chest and it was about four inches to short to do anything actually helpful. Overall he just looked ridiculous and Luna's giggle turned to all out laughter while Blaise just continued to grin.

"Care to kiss the cook?" he asked slyly, wiggling his eyebrows.

After a moment Luna was able to begin to compose herself. "What are you doing? And which houseelf did you have to bribe to accomplish this?" she choked.

"I'm making you dinner my love and there are no houseelves involved, just me and a muggle cookbook doing it the muggle way just for you. We have a starting salad and for an entrée orange glazed roast chicken with scalloped potatoes and fresh green beans."

"And what's for desert? You?"

A sly smirk slid across his face. "Maybe. You'll just have to wait and see now won't you."

Luna couldn't help but roll her eyes. Of course Blaise would respond like that. "Alright well I'm going to go change and then we can eat."

After a few minutes Luna emerged into the dining room from the bedroom in a tank top and pajama shorts. She had considered playing along with Blaise's theme and putting on something closer to lingerie but in all honesty she was not up to feeling sexy and just wanted to be comfortable.

By this time the table was immaculately set and there were lit candles adorning it. Both plates of food were laid out and it looked and smelled perfect. It was so beautiful that is brought tears to her eyes. Blaise had really out done himself this time.

Blaise silently came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I love you." He whispered into her ear.

She spun around and threw her arms around his neck. She buried her face into his chest as the tears came spilling out now.

"What is it love?" Blaise asked. His voice held a touch of distress at his fiancé's reaction. This was supposed to be a happy, romantic night and he could not fathom what could upset her like this.

"I don't know." She sniffled. "Nothing, everything… nothing."

His eyebrows knitted together slightly. All this was very confusing. "Well if you don't tell me what is wrong then I can't fix it."

Luna's head shot up and Blaise was shocked to see that the tears that now adorned her face and his body were not tears of sadness but obvious tears of joy.

"There is nothing wrong love!" she insisted. "This is amazing. There is nothing to fix…" she paused and took a deep breath. She was going to wait till after dinner but she supposed now was as good a time as any to let Blaise in on the wonderful secret she had been keeping for the last few days. "In fact… everything is perfect, beyond perfect. I think the tears are just a part of the baby hormones."

Blaise froze, his face completely shocked. "Baby?" he whispered down at his fiancé.

Luna nodded and whispered, "I'm pregnant Blaise."

With those three words Blaise completely transformed. All traces of shock was gone from him as he tightened his grip around Luna's waist and spun her around in the air.

"I'm going to be a father." He yelled out to anyone and everyone who could hear him while Luna laughed.

Blaise's reaction was better than the best she could have hoped for. His joy and excitement radiated off of him as he practically bounced with excitement.

"This is the best news I've ever gotten." He insisted as he finally loosened his grip and placed her back on her feet. He bent down and captured her lips for a kiss that was full of all the emotions that were coursing through him and when it finally broke he whispered, "I love you." for the second time that evening.

"I'm so glad you're happy." Luna said as more tears sprung to her eyes. "I was kind of worried you wouldn't be excited about it."

"How could you even think that?" He laughed. "This is the best thing that has ever happened to be, right behind meeting you of course. I can't wait to tell everyone." He laughed and kissed her again, "We're going to have a baby!"

Finally the couple decided to sit down to the dinner that they had all but forgotten about in the excitement.

They ate with silly grins both more in love and happy with their lives than they ever could have possibly imagined on their first, forced walk all those years ago in Hogsmeade. On that day neither one of them would have ever guessed that they would be able to be in the same room together without flinging insults at one another not to mention to have come this far.

Blaise took her hand into his and placed a kiss in the middle of her palm. "What are you thinking about beautiful?"

"You, us, our family… our friends."

Blaise sighed. "Ginny and Draco or Hallie and Theo?"

Luna giggled. "Am I that transparent?"

"No I just know you better than anyone and I know who you spent all day with and since Pansy is the advice giver I just figured that you are trying yet again to fix our friends."

Luna laughed. "It really does seem like a semi-futile effort at this point doesn't it. I just cant give up on them. I want our friends to all be as happy as we are. No one deserves it more than them, especially Ginny and Draco. They have both been through so much both as individuals and as a couple."

"Do you think that they are a couple again? I mean beyond their fake marriage?"

"I don't know if they are right this moment, but from how uncomfortable Ginny was today I would say they are well on their way."

* * *

The days between the dress fitting and ball flew by and before anyone knew it, it was just two days before Christmas Eve and the latest elegant Malfoy soiree.

That night Draco and Ginny had drawn the short stick and were required to go the annual Ministry of Magic's Holiday Fundraiser.

Unfortunately for Draco, just as the couple was preparing to leave Ginny got an owl from the hospital begging her to come in for an emergency case that they needed her expertise on. And so Draco ended up attending the event stag and lost count of how many times he said the words "Oh, she got called in to the hospital at the last minute" in response to all the inquiries as to his wife's whereabouts

Ginny quietly slipped through the bathroom sometime around one in the morning and let herself into Draco's bedroom. She felt terrible about being forced to bail out on him so suddenly, especially at something as boring as a Ministry event.

She expected him to already be fast asleep. It was pretty late and Draco had a tendency to lose consciousness if he was allowed to lay down in a bed for five minutes without being forced to carry on a conversation.

Much to her surprise he was not asleep but instead he was laying the opposite way on the bed totally engrossed in a book, so much so that he did not even notice her come in.

She smiled; he seemed so calm and almost serene, like a beautiful blond angel as he lay there waiting for her to come back. As she looked at him she was struck by a flash of memory from not too long before she had left and despite her best efforts to follow Pansy's advice her mind got the best of her as she was carried away by memory…

* * *

_Ginny slowly walked down the corridor deep within the dungeons. Only about half the size of the rest of the dungeons, its dimensions should have been oppressive but Ginny had always found the walk down this passage to be strangely calming. It probably had something to do with the people waiting for her on the other side of the stone wall that she was fast approaching. _

_When she did finally approach the wall she muttered the password and quickly slipped through the large door that appeared before her. She found herself in the entrance way of a massive slightly grandiose room. The whole thing was lavishly decorated in silver and a deep green with large handcrafted wooden furniture in a beautiful mahogany wood. _

_Ginny had no interest in the room's décor though, she had seen it before and she would see it again. No, she was much interested more in the boy that was sprawled casually across the large bed in the middle of the room, laying on his stomach and flipping through a textbook._

_It had been over a year since that perfect day in Hogsmeade and every single day with Draco was better than the last. Ginny still couldn't believe it but she was completely sure that she was the luckiest girl in the world._

_She stopped for a moment in the entrance way just to look at the enigma that was her beau. Normally the hard and cold Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince to those who didn't actually know him, including Ginny when outside the confines of these walls. Inside this room though, he transformed into the sweet, carefree Draco that very few were acquainted with. _

_This was the Draco that Ginny found herself so far in love with after her three semesters and a summer of love letters, this beautiful boy who currently was so relaxed in his faded jeans and a black tee-shirt, hair falling in his eyes, no smirk but the hint of a real smile. This boy who wasn't perfect, who got grumpy when he was tired, who chewed on the tips of his quills when he concentrated just like he was just then. His imperfections made him perfect in Ginny's eyes. _

_She sighed and stepped into the room, "Why hello Mr. Head Boy." _

_Instantly his head popped up and a huge beautiful smile lit up his face so bright that Ginny couldn't help but smile right back. _

"_Why hello gorgeous, so glad you could finally join us." Draco said. _

"_Yeah because it has been so long since you've seen her." _

_Ginny wasn't surprised when she heard Blaise's detached drawl. His light tenor voice and ability to seem like nothing in the world fazed him made him in the eyes of most one of the most easy going Slytherins in the whole school, not that anyone tried to test the theory by pissing him off. People tended to just have a genuine respect for the elusive boy that few people got to know. If you were one of the fortunate few who was able to really get to know him then you discovered that Blaise was really a big teddy bear who had become more and more of a nerd every year and was smart enough to be a rival to Hermione's highest honor's status. _

_Most importantly though what most didn't know but many were beginning to discover if they paid attention was that Blaise had a major soft spot that came from a most unlikely and eccentric source, the bubbly, blond Ravenclaw Luna Lovegood. Despite their many years of complete animosity Blaise and Luna had finally learned to accept each other due to having to spend many afternoons in each other's forced company. Both of them dutifully endured the company of the other in order to hide their best friends' secret love and had fallen head over heels in love with each other as well._

_Ginny laughed at their friend's sarcasm. "Hey! It has been at least 8 hours."_

"_You saw him at dinner less than an hour ago." He retorted. _

_Draco slid of his bed and walked over to stand behind Ginny. He slowly slipped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Just ignore him love. He's just testy because my girlfriend is here and his isn't." he twisted his head and gently kissed Ginny's long white neck. _

_Blaise snorted with mirth. "You have so got him whipped."_

"_What? And you're not?" giggled a light airy voice from the entrance to the room. _

_All three heads spun to watch the tiny blond girl trip gracefully over to them. She danced over to the couch and plopped down in Blaise's lap. _

"_Hi love." Blaise's face broke into a giant grin and he pulled his girlfriend into a long snog. _

"_Look who's whipped now." Draco whispered into Ginny's ear. _

_She giggled and Blaise flicked him off. _

_And so began another normal evening of the quartet. _

* * *

"Hi," Draco said quietly, gently shaking her from her reverie. "How did it go?"

She smiled at him. "The patient should have a full recovery. How did the benefit for whatever go?"

He yawned and laughed. "It was fine. I showed up, looked pretty, took pictures, explained why I was stag for the evening, which of course made the upper crust of society just love you all the more. You know, the usual."

Now it was Ginny's turn to laugh. "Well I'm glad you behaved yourself."

"Of course." He said evilly as he flashed her his trademark grin.

She giggled at him. "There is no of course with you. You were let out without supervision, I half expected to you make a pass at the Minster's wife and get caught snogging two women at once in the public loo."

"How little you think of me." Draco sniffed. He pretended to be miffed by her less than kind assessment of her even though he knew that four months ago it would have been a valid option for him.

"No love, how well I know you." She said as bent down to slip off the god forsaken heels she had been in all night.

"Come here, let me help you with that." Draco offered as he saw the exhaustion that radiated from her body. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed as Ginny gratefully extended her legs to him one by one so she could be free of the cursed beasts.

Once that was over she lightly pushed on his chest so he would move over and both of them stretched out on the bed. "I'm just going to sit here for five minutes."Ginny insisted.

All Draco did was snort as he threw an arm around her and pulled her in close.

"Drae," Ginny began. She knew this was not a good idea she was far too tired to fight off sleep for very long and his warm, strong form felt so good. She didn't want to move but she was still fully dressed. "Ugh, let go I need to get up."

"Make me." He mumbled from where he was snuggled down into his pillow.

"Careful Malfoy, with behavior like this people might begin to get the idea that you like me."

"I don't like you. You are just comfy so shush."

"I'm fully dressed. I need to change." She was seriously whining now even though she was fully aware that he had already more than won the battle. Sleep had begun to overtake her and it seemed as if she would be spending yet another night in Draco's room.

"You'll be fine I promise."

"Jerk." she mumbled.

She could feel more than hear the chuckle reverberate through his chest. The last thing she was really conscious of was the soft feeling of him lips pressing against her forehead as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Draco watched Ginny as she slept.

He wasn't quite sure what had come over him but whatever it was had been happening more and more frequently. He found that he liked having Ginny around. In fact more and more he found himself attempting to intentionally create moments like this. It helped him to feel closer to her, to hold her and pretend like she was in his life to stay. At some points he felt that he would even forget about the girl from the potion if it meant that he never had to let go of the woman in his arms. It would be easy, in fact when the little weaselette was around he almost forgot that his mystery woman existed.

But inevitably, just like now, he would remember that Ginny was not his to keep. She was only on loan to him, purchased by his grandfather and paid to tame his wild ways. And the worst part was that she was performing her job flawlessly just as Ginny did everything and without even really trying. If he were honest with himself he would be forced to admit that in a lot of ways he had just stopped fighting her altogether.

Every day he became more attached to the little firecracker who flitted around his house and throughout his life spreading light and passion wherever she went. Draco had not felt this alive since the last time she had been a part of his life.

He wasn't sure if he would be able to let her go when the time came but he knew if Ginny wanted to leave he would let her and force himself to completely and entirely forget her. When she left this time, Ginny Weasley would no longer exist to him because, despite trying to deny it with his entire existence, if he allowed her to remain any sort of presence in his life he wouldn't survive the pain of losing her this time.

* * *

See I told you it was only going to be a couple days! Yay for a new chapter!

Alrighty I hope this makes everyone happy! It has a great scene with the friends and then a fun D/G scene that is both cute and emotionally revealing. I really like this one. What do you all think?

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!

Care


	22. Its Begining to Look aLot Like Christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 22: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

* * *

Ginny slipped into her chair at the table and waited for the houselves to magic the food in from the kitchen. For once the entire Malfoy family was assembled for the same meal which was perfect for Ginny's purposes. She had been meaning to ask the family a question regarding Christmas Day for quite some time but the days had gotten away from her and now the Christmas Eve Ball was only a few hours away and Ginny still didn't know what her plans were for the next morning.

"Soo…" Ginny began as she piled eggs and toast onto her plate. "I was wondering exactly what our plans were for tomorrow morning?"

Salvia smiled at Ginny's tone already guessing what she wanted. "Honestly our big plans take place tonight so if you wanted to spend Christmas morning with your own family you are more than welcome darling."

Ginny beamed in happiness. "Thank you!" She had half expected there to be some sort of conflict but this was perfect. She couldn't stop smiling as breakfast continued.

* * *

Hallie stared up at the gigantic door in front of her. She knew what she needed to do and knew that it had to be now while her resolve was firm or she would never make it this far again. Nor would she be able to handle seeing him tonight at the Malfoys' without this resolved. She took a deep breath and knocked soundly on the door.

Within moments the door opened and she looked down into the gigantic eyes of a houseelf. "Oh! Hello."

"Hello Miss. How can I be helping you today?" he said in a high squeaky voice.

"I'm looking for Theodore Knott, is he at home?"

"Yes master is at home. Is he expecting you?"

"Oh.." It had not even occurred to her that Theo might be busy and not able to see her. "Well actually no he's not. Is there any way you could just tell him that Hallie Weschester is here to see him."

The little elf smiled up at her. "Of course Miss." Was all he said before he popped away leaving the door ajar.

Hallie tried to stay at the door and await the elf's return but curiosity got the better of her and she could not help venturing into the mansion.

It was beautiful. High ceilings, huge room, everything was bright and open, not at all how she pictured one of these old homes to be.

She was still captivated by what she saw when a rich voice that she had come to know all too well interrupted her thoughts.

"What are you doing here?"

Hallie spun around to face a very tense looking Theo. He was disheveled with his hair sticking up at all kinds of odd angles and was wearing only a pair of sweat pants leaving his chest exposed but Hallie did not have time to recognize all of this because she was entirely distracted by his eyes. His big green eyes held this haunted, emotionally empty look that broke Hallie's heart in two because she was positive that she was the one who had put it there.

"I…I wanted to talk to you." She sputtered out.

"Fine." He descended the last couple stairs and headed towards one of the multiple doors that lined the room. Hallie cautiously followed him, still inexplicably unsure of this man.

He led her into what appeared to an informal sitting room with several couches and an already roaring fire that warmed the entire room without the need for magic.

"So what is it?" he asked with almost none of the emotion he was feeling betraying him in his voice. He was just as much a practiced Slytherin as the rest.

This version of the man though was painful for Hallie to watch. Impulsively she crossed the room and launched herself into his arms. She hugged him with everything she had and nestled her face into the crook of his neck kissing him softly. At first he did not respond but after a moment she felt him relax and wrap his arms around her waist. He buried his face into her hair and breathed in her scent. It had been too long since he had seen her.

When she pulled away his eyes had come back to life. She smiled ever so slightly at him and led him over to one of the couches.

They both sat down and she took a deep breath to steady herself to push out what she to say. "The other day… you scared me." She began.

"I know and I'm sorry!" He interjected his voice full of sincerity.

She held up a finger to his lips to quiet his protests. "Let me finish. You scared me because, as much as I haven't wanted to admit it, there is something here. The problem is though that I refuse to trust you again completely because I'm terrified of you running off again in the middle of the night without any kind of notice or explanation." She paused to take in the expression of pure pain and dismay that crossed over Theo's face and filed it away in her memory for later. "We were barely together back then, if together is even what you could call it, and, even though it felt like I had always known you, in fact I hardly knew anything about you after our one night together. Now though, after several months of whatever this is I know so much more about you and everyday you draw me in closer, but I have to know what happened that night and why you never came back before this can go any farther."

She stopped talking and just looked at him. Hallie could tell by the look on his face that Theo was more than a little uncomfortable with her declaration but showed no signs of searching for a quick exit. She remained silent while he appeared to collect his thoughts.

"I'm sure you've gathered this from what Pansy and the others have mentioned but… I didn't have an easy childhood." He finally began after some time.

She simply nodded her head once, not wanting to interrupt him at all.

"What you have to understand is that I never wanted to leave you. I felt this connection to you that was so strong even though you were only mine for a few short hours. You are the only girl I have ever felt like that with. My entire life I have avoided forming close bonds. With the exception of Drae, Pansy and Blaise I have preferred to keep the world at a distance because… well people around me have always tended to get hurt."

"I don't understand." She said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I know… I'm sorry. You asked for answers and I'm just being more cryptic." He ran a hand over his face. "Ok, here goes, my father was a sick, sadistic son of a bitch. Everybody pointed fingers at Lucius for being involved with the deatheaters but in all honesty my father was more important to … Voldemort and far worse than Draco's father could ever be. I was tortured as a child both physically and mentally. He was a monster. I always search for a better way to describe him but nothing really seems to suffice.

"Where I really need to begin though is with my mother though. In order for you to really understand what happed you need to know how much I loved my mother. She was my world, the kindest most amazing woman. She would do anything for anyone and her life just made the world a better place. You have always reminded me of her actually… but that is beside the point.

"What is important is that she was amazing and then when I was home for Christmas during my 6th year at Hogwarts… he killed her."

Theo stopped speaking for a moment to compose himself. It had suddenly gotten hard for him to breath. He had not spoken to anyone about his mother's murder since… well since after he had explained what happened to Draco, Blaise and Pansy. He couldn't stop the tears that had begun to silently run down his face.

Hallie remained silent but simply moved to sit flush next to him. She pulled him into her arms. Seeing this beautiful, strong man that she loved so much breaking down was breaking her heart. She smoothed his hair out of his face and kissed him softly before whispering, "Why?"

Theo laughed ever so slightly but it held no mirth, only bitterness. "He decided that she was no longer useful to him. She would not be helpful when the Dark Lord rose again and this why continue to keep her around? I never knew that…not until the day I killed him…. I spent three years wondering why I had a mother when breakfast began and then by the end she was dead. After that I stunned him long enough to grab my trunk and my cat and floo back to school.

"That was the beginning of the most hectic period of my life. With the help of Dumbledore and Snape, I traveled and hid all the while continuing my studies. My father never stopped looking for me. Every time he would get too close I would have to change schools, change lives, move on and forget everything about the place I had been.

"And then… I arrived in Salem and begun attending the Salem Division of the International School of Curse Breaking… where I had a class with the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my life." He paused and kissed her softly on the forehead when she sucked in a large breath of air at her entrance into the story. "She was perfect but never seemed to notice me even though all I ever did was stare at her. Then one morning I received one of the owls I most dreaded, my father was getting too close to finding me to stay where I was any longer but just as I finished reading the letter the door swung open and in walked the girl of my dreams. I knew then that I could not let her leave the room without at least making some kind of effort so I asked her out to coffee which turned into the most perfect day of my life. Unfortunately no matter how perfect it was I still knew in the back of my mind that I would have to leave that night; that I would have to leave her for both of our safety.

"I tried to tell her that night but I couldn't bring myself too. I decided I wanted to have my one perfect night with the girl I already knew I was in love with and then… early the next morning, I had to tear myself away from her warm bed and I left but this time it was different. This time I couldn't just forget everything that I had come to know. I was stuck; tortured by the memory of our day together even though I was sure I would never see her again.

"Finally, after nearly 5 years of running I decided it had to stop. I confronted my father, ready to die if need be but instead I killed him and I have never regretted it. The only thing that I have to regret in my life thus far is not explaining my situation to you. I justified it by saying I didn't want to risk your safety, which was true, but I also feel like we always should have been together and me not telling you just made us lose years that we could have been together. I love you Hallie. I always have."

By this point it was Hallie who had tears streaming down her face. His story dually broke heart and made it sing. She knew that all the things that had worried her were void. Theo loved her, he had always loved her and what was even better was that she loved him.

She pulled him down on top of her and kissed him soundly. "I love you Theo." She whispered.

He beamed down at her with a cheeky grin. "Good, 'bout damn time."

And with that they began to kiss again, becoming less and less certain every moment about whether or not they would make it to the Christmas Eve Ball.

* * *

After they ate the entire Malfoy family went into the main ballroom with all the available elves and worked to finish up the last minute touches for later that evening. Somewhere around 5 o'clock Ginny and Draco were both released from their indenturement and shooed off to get ready.

Ginny headed out of the ballroom just a minute after Draco and hurried to catch up to him.

"Drae," Ginny called out as he walked up the stairs. "Wait for me." She skipped up the steps and swiftly linked her arm though her husband as he continued up the stairs towards their rooms.

"Yes?" he inquired. She was bouncing. It was never good for him when she bounced. It always seemed to mean that she had an idea.

"So I would like to formally invite you to the Weasley family's Christmas."

Draco paused in his steps, "Really?"

Ginny giggled. "Of course! That is unless you want to stay here with your family… oh I'm sorry I should have thought about that! It didn't even cross my mind, of course you would…"

"Ginny!" he cut her off laughing. She was beginning to babble. "I would love to spend Christmas with you and your family. It's the least I can do since your giving up your Christmas Eve to my family, even trade."

"You're sure?" she asked demurely looking up at him through her long ginger eyelashes.

He had to swallow hard and really think about what he was trying to say after she did that. He was always attracted to her but unfortunately it was never more so than when she looked sweet and almost innocent. "Yeah. Of course I am." He stammered gracefully. "I think a night with 300 of my parents' closest acquaintances is almost comparable to a couple hours with your brothers.

"Ok." She beamed. She really did want him to come. She knew from before that his family wasn't very bog on the traditional aspects of holidays and she really wanted him to see what a real Christmas morning might be like. "So what does your family do on Christmas Day?"

He snorted. "Nothing really, in all honesty. Normally we just eat breakfast together and then all go our separate ways. When I was younger, before I started Hogwarts, my mother would buy me a few presents to open that morning, but as you have always so aptly pointed out, I'm spoiled and never really had much need of anything."

"Yes, but… I don't know. For me, the holiday has always been more about the family togetherness than it has about what I get at the end of the day."

Draco couldn't help but laugh again, "Gin, does my family give you the impression that they are good at togetherness?"

"Sometimes." She answered truthfully.

"Well, I've never really noticed it… but it could just be me." He said still smiling. "No, Christmas was always better once I could stay at Hogwarts for the holidays and I've never really had the classic birthday either."

"No birthdays?" Ginny looked absolutely horrified.

Draco laughed. "Well of course we have birthdays, everyone does, we just don't do much to celebrate them."

"Well that is going to change." She insisted. "This year you are having a birthday party, a serious one and August I expect the biggest party this family has ever seen!"

"What's in August?" he asked with a smirk.

She didn't even bother to answer him. She was perfectly aware that he knew good and damn well when her birthday was. She just hit him in the stomach in response just as they approached his door. "Go get dressed."

He smirked and simply replied, "Yes ma'am."

Forty-five minutes later, Ginny heard a rap on the bathroom door. "Come in.

She heard the doorknob turn and then turned around to see Draco dressed in his best dress robes with every hair perfectly in place. Bloody hell, he was wonderful.

He crossed the room and ever so carefully flopped down on the bed. "Are you ready yet _dearest_?"

Ginny resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Why no _darling_, as you can very clearly see, I'm not." She said gesturing to the robe she was wearing rather than the beautiful green gown draped across the bed next to him.

"Hmmm well do you think you will be ready in the next five minutes?"

"Nope."

"The next ten?"

"Probably not."

"Fifteen?"

"Draco…"

"Right, sorry." He gave her a cheeky grin that she could tell meant he was no such thing.

It was quickly becoming apparent to Ginny that her dear sweet husband was just going to continue to sit there and be a pain in the ass unless she released him from the pain of having to wait for her. "Drae, why don't you head downstairs and I will be down in a few minutes when I'm dressed and my hair is not damp."

"I cannot arrive at the ball without my date."

"Suuure you can! I will just be right behind you; your mother won't mind that."

He narrowed his eyes are her, "Yes she will and you know that but I really don't want to sit here any longer so just this once I'm going to humor you but you better look good woman for making me do this!" he added jokingly as he headed to the door.

Ginny laughed and threw a pillow at him as he exited, promising to be down as fast as she could.

Once he was gone Ginny returned to her preparations. Finally after twenty-five minutes or so she was finally able to slip into her magnificent an emerald green gown and put on the strappy gold heels that she had found to go with the striking color of the dress.

When she was finally ready, Ginny headed downstairs on her own. She knew she was a little late for family arrival but she couldn't make herself care. She felt pretty tonight so it seemed as if nothing could touch her mood as she finally entered the ballroom through the main doors.

When Ginny appeared at the top of the stairs Draco felt as if he had forgotten to breathe. She looked amazing in that green dress. It hugged her in all the right places and the color made her glow with life and contrasted perfectly with her hair.

She stood at the top of the stairs and surveyed the ballroom. He assumed that she was admiring her handy work but all he could do was admire her.

Ginny though could think of nothing but Draco. As she descended the staircase towards him she felt as if she was a princess in a fairytale… or like that girl in that muggle movie on the big boat, descending to where her love waited. It was at the same time exhilarating and surreal.

When he greeted her at the bottom of the stairs he offered her his arm and led her over to the other Malfoy couples, Pansy and Greg Goyle and Blaise and Luna.

"Sorry I'm late everyone."

"Not a problem darling." Narcissa responded. "We all know very well that a look like that doesn't happen in ten minutes."

"Besides," Blaise added. "You beat Hallie and Theo. They are coming right?"

"Who even knows?" Ginny said rolling her eyes dramatically.

Their conversation was cut short though with the arrival of the first actual guests. And as all the Malfoy couples fell into place to greet the new arrivals Draco grabbed her hand and squeezed it before whispering in her ear. "Worth the wait."

* * *

After a decent amount of guests had arrived and were all mingling about it was finally time for a Malfoy couple to open the dance floor. Normally, the honor fell to the most senior couple but just as the instruments began tuning, Salvia approached the youngest pair and said to Ginny, "Well dear, since this is your first Malfoy Christmas Eve Ball I feel that you and Draco should have the honor of opening up the floor."

Ginny smiled and turned to her husband who simply shrugged. "Are you sure?" she asked timidly.

Salvia laughed. "Ginny, I'm almost 100 years old, when I make a suggestion I am always sure. You, my dear one, need to stop asking me if I mean what I say and just accept whatever gift it is we're trying to give you. You are part of the family now which means that regardless of what happens next year your presence will still be required at major family dinners, Cissa and I will still be banging on your door to take you shopping and when we buy you something you will say thank you and not try to give it back!"

Ginny couldn't help but blush bright red and smile meekly. "Yes ma'am."

Saliva laughed again. "Perfect! Alright now you two get out there. There are a lot of people here who are waiting to dance!"

Ginny grabbed Draco's hand and began to drag him before he caught up to her and twirled her into dancing form just at the edge of the floor. Moments later the music began and his perfect pureblood breeding began to spin her effortlessly around the floor.

Ginny could feel all eyes on them and automatically began to blush again but Draco quickly distracted her.

"Stop that. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. You are the most beautiful woman in this room and you are dancing with me."

Ginny resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Oh does that mean I'm just lucky then?"

"No, it means that they aren't even really looking at you but at the pair of us in shock. Everyone is wondering how a bloke like me could have possibly convinced someone as wonderful and beautiful as you to marry me."

"I doubt that."

"I don't."

The song ended and Draco released her except for her hand and stepped back. Then he surprised her by dipping down ever so slightly and raising her hand to his lips. "Thank you for the dance madam."

Ginny smiled nervously, "My pleasure."

And with that he led her off the floor while others filed on, waiting for the music to recommence.

* * *

The ball continued on smoothly. Ginny found that she was actually having a wonderful time, especially in comparison to the last ball that the family had held here in October.

Draco had repeatedly asked her to dance, gotten her drinks and was in fact the perfect date again except this time around he was doing it because he wanted to not in order to piss her off. They passed nearly the entire night side by side other than when one of the other guys or Abraxas asked her to dance.

Towards the end of the night they had once again made their way to the dance floor together when things took a slight turn for the worse.

"Oh bloody hell…" Draco hissed as his brow creased with concern as he looked not at her but across the room.

"Oh bloody hell? What is it?" Ginny questioned. Tonight had been going so well she really didn't want anything to spoil it and whatever could cause Draco to look like that definitely had the potential to do just that.

"Do you see that girl?" he asked quietly so only Ginny could hear him. He inclined his head ever so slightly in the direction of the doors to the ballroom where a tall stick thin woman with bone straight brown hair wearing a barely there bright red gown with no back and a scandalously high slip up one side.

"Unfortunately."

Draco couldn't help but letting a small smile momentarily flicker across his face at her response. He wasn't quite sure why but a major part of him was glad Ginny was disgusted by his final… conquest before her. "Well love, that is the last girl I slept with before our little arrangement began or at least tried to sleep with, I'm a little fuzzy on what happened the night after grandfather told me about all this." He grimaced at the memory of that very drunken night.

"And why may I ask is she in the Manor at this particular moment?" Ginny's face could have been made of stone. She threw up a perfect Malfoy mask that was even a little bit intimidating for Draco. She obviously had lived in this house too long.

"Well I don't know. She certainly wasn't invited…"

Just then a houseelf popped up right beside the couple and bowed to them. "Begging you pardon Miss and Little Master but there is being a woman over by the door who is asking quite earnestly to be talking to Master Draco right away."

Draco paled. "Umm… please show her to the East wing study." He ordered. The houseelf bowed and apperated away. The last thing they needed was for that woman to cause a scene in front of all the actual guests. Ginny and Draco had been doing such a good job of playing happy couple and in just a few short minutes Giselle could undo everything that they had worked for.

Ginny placed a hand on Draco's chest to pull his attention away from the source of his worry. "I'll take care of it." She said.

Draco smiled at her gratefully. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm a Malfoy woman now right? She will not be interfering with our ball." And with that she turned and left Draco standing in the middle of the dance floor starring after her slightly in awe.

Ginny made her way through the corridors to the room where Draco had directed that the woman be taken and confidently opened the door.

"Hello there, I'm Ginny, can I help you with something?" she began sweetly.

"I'm sorry. The stupid little elf must have gotten confused. I asked for Draco Malfoy, the man you were dancing with." This woman looked down her nose at Ginny. She had quite obviously sized her up and dismissed the vivacious red head as the latest Malfoy piece of ass. Well, wasn't she in for a nasty surprise?

Ginny smiled her sweetest smile and let out a clear little laugh. "Oh, well, that is where the poor little dear must have gotten confused. You asked for Draco Malfoy and he thought you meant me, Mrs. Draco Malfoy. It is a common mistake."

The woman's eyes bugged out of her head ever so slightly. The news that Draco had gotten married must have obviously slipped by her, although Ginny wasn't quite sure how. This woman must have been living under a rock for the last four months… or rather for the last five years or so if she had gall to dismiss Ginny Weasley…Malfoy in that way without even the slightest flicker of recognition. Quick wit this one was.

"Draco got married?"She eloquently choked out.

"Why yes he did, to me in case you missed that part, back in October. And as the newest mistress to the Manor I instructed all the help that if anyone dropped by akin to a cheap looking whore looking for my husband that their inquires where to be directed to me to take care of." Ginny smiled sweetly again. "But thank you ever so much for dropping by, one of the elves will show you out now." And with that Ginny turned on her heel and began to exit the room.

Giselle, in a desperate attempt to save her extortion attempt, called out, "He slept with me you know. Not too long before your wedding too."

All the amusement that Ginny had found in the situation before drained from her. She ever so slowly turned around and caught the woman with a piecing stare full of white hot rage. "Do not presume that anything you could tell me I don't already know. My husband and I are completely honest with each other so yes I did know that he slept with you and what an awful shag you were. Now," she paused as her voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "Get out of my house before I have to throw you out and if you ever attempt to contact my husband, my family or if somewhere in that pea brain of yours you decide to go to the media not only will I attack you with the full force of the Malfoy family's considerable influence but when they finally find you to take you to the ministry your body will be so disfigured by bat bogey bites that you won't even remember why it was you were trying to extort us in the first place."

And with that Ginny swept out of the room leaving the stunned woman behind.

By the time Ginny made it back to the ballroom she was still upset but some of the rage had begun to ebb away. She found Draco talking to Blaise and Luna off to one side of the room and immediately went to join him.

When she approached Draco was stunned by the little red head's appearance. She was entirely flushed and he could almost feel her anger. He raised one eyebrow at her as she fell into place beside him.

"It's all taken care of." Is all she said before taking his champagne glass out of his hand, downing what remained of it and beginning a conversation with Luna.

Draco stared at her in shock and awe. He stepped closer to her and placed a hand on the small of her back. He leaned down and placed a small kiss at her temple. "Thank you."

She just looked up at him and smiled briefly before returning her attention to Luna who was staring at them with one eyebrow raised.

* * *

Before too long the ball was over. All the guests had gone home and most of the family had headed off to bed. As per usual they decided to deal with the cleaning in the morning rather than at two o'clock in the morning.

The only ones left in the ballroom now were Draco and Ginny with the rest of a bottle of champagne.

"I feel like this is becoming our after event ritual. First you show, now tonight." Ginny laughed as she split the last of the bottle between their 2 glasses.

"I'm ok with it if you after." Draco laughed as he finally loosened his tie. Then he added, "By the way, I'm sorry that that bint showed up tonight love."

Ginny did nothing but smile. "It's not your fault. How were you supposed to know that she would be here?"

"True… but there shouldn't have even been the possibility. I don't mean to sound like one of those muggle cards,"

"Hallmark?" she guessed. She couldn't help the warm fuzzy feeling that spread through her chest at his attempt at a reference.

"Yeah those, anyways, what I am trying to say is… I'm really glad you're back in my life Gin."

Ginny was stunned. What had just happened? Who was this man sitting next to her? Surely not Draco Malfoy. The man she had been living with for the last few months would never be able to admit that he had any feelings for her or enjoyed having her around.

When Ginny was not able to say anything in response due to the shock, Draco could do nothing by continue to speak. "I don't know why but when you left me I felt like the meaning in my life had disappeared and I have spent the last 3 years trying to figure out a way to feel as alive as I did when I was with you. But I have been going about it exactly the wrong way. I had convinced myself that the opposite of what we had would be to have anyone and everyone I wanted. That it would be an entirely different way to feel alive… but no matter what I did or who I did when I would wake up in the morning I just felt dead. It was a constant ache that started the morning you I woke up and you were gone, no note, no nothing."

"That was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Leaving you that day almost killed me."

"I know. I've always known. I couldn't let myself acknowledge it though because I was too hurt and too angry… and I'm sure this is too little too late but I am sorry Ginny. I'm sorry for how I have treated you and how I have acted. You never deserved that."

Ginny couldn't help the tears that formed in her eyes. She had been waiting so long to hear those words that she had never expected to hear. It took everything in her not to jump out of her chair and throw herself into his arms.

She took a deep breath and slowly and carefully in her magnificent green dress rose up from the corner chair in which she had been sitting. She crossed around the table to where Draco sat and leaned down and kissed him softly on the forehead. She whispered, "Thank you." As two of the tears she had been fighting back escaped their confines.

She quickly brushed them away, not wanting him to see so plainly all the emotions she was battling.

Of course though, being Draco, he missed nothing. But then he took her hand that she had used to brush away the tears in his and softly kissed the back of it. Without looking at her he whispered, "You are perfect Ginny. You deserve the world."

He then released her hand.

She let it fall to her side.

Without another word, she turned and left the ballroom, too emotionally unstable to handle another moment there.

* * *

I've been in France for 6 weeks. Please don't hate me but this just wasn't at the top of my list… hope you enjoy this chapter because I really enjoyed writing it. Let me know what you think.

Care


	23. It Was Always You

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 23: It Was Always You

* * *

Ginny lazily stretched out her limbs as she tried to shake off the sleep. Why was she so tired this morning? Oh, that was right, the Christmas Eve ball last night... wait, if last night was Christmas Eve than that meant it was Christmas!

She scrambled out of bed and headed straight through the bathroom. She did not even pause to knock on Draco's door but simply launched herself into the room and on to the bed. She giddily bounced up and down and said loudly, "Wake uuuuup! It's Christmas! Wake up! Wake up!"

Draco for his part simply began to curse under his breath. He didn't care what day it was, no one should be this awake after so few hours of sleep. He sat up and dragged the small woman down and locked her in an embrace. "Sleep."

"Noooo!" Ginny cried. She wiggled for all she was worth, trying in vain to get out of his iron embrace. "Draaaaco! Presents! Family! Christmas Breakfast!"

At the mention of food one of his eyes popped open in questioning. "Explain,"

Ginny ceased her efforts momentarily. "Huge breakfast with waffles and sausage and eggs and... well all sort of food. There is always so much and my mother is the most amazing cook in the world."

Draco let out a huge groan that clearly signalled he was going to give in. "Fine."

* * *

Draco sat in a chair in the corner of the Burrow surveying the happy family that surrounded him. What in the hell had he been thinking when he agreed to come here? Especially for something as important as Christmas morning?

Just then Ginny walked back into the room from the kitchen carrying a tray full of tea mugs. She looked up and smiled at him, that perfect, innocent smile that for some reason always made him think the world was a better place. Well there she was: the reason. She had asked him and she had smiled at him in excitement. That was essentially all she had to do anymore and anyone and everyone in the Manor would melt, including him.

She approached and handed him one of the steaming mugs. "How you holding up?"

"Surviving," he answered truthfully. "Although I'm fairly certain the twins have been planning my demise for the last 20 minutes."

"Ok," she giggled. "That is a very real possibility. Let me get rid of the rest of these and I will come back and protect you. We're going to eat before too long."

"Is eating safe with those two in the house?" He asked warily.

She just laughed as she walked away, never really answering the question.

After a bit Ginny came back to the corner where Draco was bunkered down. "Stop looking so terrified." She said laughing as she walked up.

"I can't help it." He hissed. "There are just so many of them."

"What happened to that smarmy arse who came in here and baited all 7 of the boys at once?"

"The brat he has been living with got under his skin and actually made him care about things again." He shot back.

"Awww well I'll actually take that as a little bit of a compliment."

Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Wasn't I promised food?"

Ginny smiled again. "This is very true. It is almost ready darling so we should be ready to begin the task of fitting everyone into the dining room in about 10 minutes."

"And you're sure it is safe for me to move from this spot? Because I really don't trust anyone other than you and your mother." he said glancing over in the direction of the twins.

"Well actually it's never safe when they are in the house but I will make sure that they know that you are off limits."

"You have that kind of power?" he asked a bit sceptically.

Ginny just looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

"Well, now that you mention it, I suppose you are right."

A few minutes later Mrs. Weasley entered the room and announced that breakfast was finally ready and that everyone needed to find seats. When everyone was finally seated and everything had calmed down somewhat, Mr. Weasley gave his small annual speech to commemorate the occasion and then before he could declare breakfast officially open Ginny cleared her throat and asked if she could have just a moment to say something.

"I would just briefly like to address my two most mischievous brothers. Fred and George I just want you to be aware that I know you all and your plans very well so I am giving you this opportunity to quickly remove all of your jokes and enchantments from around my husband. This is your fair warning that if Draco is transformed in any way during this meal you will both personally have to answer to me directly. You both need to reflect on who was your most skilled protégé and then remember that both of your wives like me better than you and have already agreed to help me in any way I deem necessary in order to enact my revenge."

And with that Ginny sat back down. There was nothing more for her to say. Both of the twins knew that she was more than willing and capable to carry out her threat.

The two men in question both exchanged brief looks momentarily before sharply nodding once and pushing away from the table. Fred and George then proceeded to spend the next few minutes debunking every that they had booby trapped for later.

Everyone laughed slightly as they watched the two rummage around in the drawers, accio a pill of some sort out of the eggs and then go crawling under Draco's chair and carefully extracting... well no one was quite sure what it was. After that everyone assumed that it would then be time to eat but they were far from finished. After breakfast was once again safe, the duo then made their way through the rest of the first floor with several small explosions, two distinct yelps and one case of purple hair. Finally, they returned wearing matching looks that expressed how less than thrilled they were at what had just occurred.

Ginny thanked them, a sentiment which was not gladly accepted, and then the meal finally begun. It proceeded smoothly until there was a small standoff at the egg spoon. Both Draco and Ron had reached for it at the exact same moment which could have lead to utter catastrophe had Draco not uncharacteristically allowed the red-headed man to go ahead of him. As soon as Ron picked up the spoon though there was a small pop and a puff of smoke that dissipated to reveal and extremely pissed off reddish brown ferret sitting in the spot where Ron once sat.

The shocked silence that over took the room was astounding. A pin dropping could have been heard in the room until every single person burst out laughing. The maniacal grin that was plastered across the faces of both Fred and George perfectly expressed their excitement at one of their plans being brought to completion.

"Guess we missed one." They said in perfect unison.

This comment caused Ron the ferret to bound across the table at the twins where he performed a daring leap landing on Fred where he promptly began to bite him before transferring his attentions to the other twin.

Draco sat back and watched the entire display somewhat in amusement but mostly in empathy. He himself had spent some time as a ferret and it has not been at all enjoyable. He pushed back from the table and slithered his way out from his spot at the table. He crossed around to where Ron was still attacking the twins and scooped up his fuzzy enemy. "Come on mate. Don't bite me!"

Draco took the sulking ferret back into the living room where he placed him on the floor and took out his wand. He transformed his schoolyard enemy back into a human.

In a matter of seconds a beyond livid Ron stood before him. "That was meant for you."

"Yes, it was."

"I'm going to kill them."

"I understand."

Ron crossed the room in three quick strides and was about to open the door to the dining room when he paused and turned back to Draco. "Thanks mate."

"Don't mention it."

Draco did not immediately follow the other man. Instead he collapsed onto the nearest couch. What in the bloody hell had he just done? Helped the weasel because... he understood how he was feeling? This was all Ginny's fault. It had to be.

Just then the subject of his thought entered to room, obviously searching for him. "Hey, thank you for doing that."

"Don't mention it, really."

"I won't but I still want you to know that it was a good thing you did."

Draco ran a hand over his face. "I know."

"Are you coming back to eat?"

He nodded and stood to follow her back to the food.

* * *

Ginny was conflicted as she climbed the stairs to her room. She still had not decided whether or not to give Draco the present she had bought him. The problem was that she was running out of time. There was only an hour or so left in Christmas.

The problem was she did not want to make things awkward by giving him a present if he had not done the same for her.

She also had the added bonus of being nervous about the gift she had chosen because she had never in her life bought a present for Draco. When they were together she had been much too poor to even consider the prospect but Pansy had told her not to dwell and thus she had decided on a whim to do something different and branch out of her norm.

At first she had tried to shop for him but that had proven impossible. She wanted to give him something special since this would be their only Christmas as man and wife. So after a few owls and a bit of detective work she found something that she thought was perfect… or at least she hoped.

Ginny easily swung open the door to her bedroom and entered the room. In one deft movement she had flipped off her shoes, slipped out of her jacket and swung the door shut.

You know it was most definitely not a good idea to give an unsuspecting Draco a present. It would not be a good idea to spring something like this on him. He would believe that there was more emotion attached to it than there actually was… or rather, in all honesty, he would see exactly how much emotion she had decided to invest in their relationship and she couldn't have that.

No the best course of action was actually to throw herself onto bed and sleep… by herself.

She had almost made it to her bed when she noticed the two small boxes sitting on the end of it. What in the bloody hell could that be?

She ever so slowly picked up the first box and delicately opened it. Beneath the lid lay a small piece of paper with a small note written in elegant, flowing handwriting that she had seen before. She picked it up and it read:

_Red, I just wanted to get you a little something, my first attempt at a 'real' Christmas present. Happy Christmas - D_

The sweet simplicity of the note caused a lump to form in her throat as she fought back the beginnings of tears. Then she looked down at the box in her hand and the tears won out. Inside lay a silver bangle that was wrought in the same manner as her necklace and inlaid with alternating moonstones and garnets. It was absolutely beautiful.

She set down the first box and opened the second to reveal a set of earrings that were the miniature of the pendent from her necklace.

Ginny's heart swelled with the planning and effort that he had put into her gift. It was beyond perfect. And the effort he must have gone through to find the matching items to make a set five years after the fact just astounded her.

Well this had made her earlier debacle considerably easier. She dashed over to her bedside table and drew a square silver box tied with a green ribbon that was not much bigger than the ones she had just opened out of the drawer.

She had no more doubts about giving Draco the gift she had found for him as she crossed the room and headed straight through the bathroom.

Ginny lightly rapped on the door to Draco's room out of respect for his privacy and waited till he signaled that she could come in. When she entered to room Draco was sitting on the far side of the room at his large mahogany desk. He looked up from the stack of paper that was in front of him as she entered the room and he took off the sleek designer reading glasses that adorned his face.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked as he obviously fought back a yawn.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked a bit shocked.

"I am finishing up some paperwork for the gallery. Why do you ask?"

"Oh no," Ginny said shaking her head slightly. "What I meant was what are you doing working on Christmas silly?"

"Oh… well it has to get done sometime. I had nothing better to do until you walked in thus I worked on it until now. You are far more interesting than my paper work."

She smiled and said, "Good. As for me I have a couple items of business to deal with with you, First of all, thank you so much for the jewelry. They are absolutely beautiful. I don't know where you possibly could have found something that matched so perfectly!"

Draco lowered his eyes but a small smile adorned his face. "It was really nothing special. Don't mention it, really."

"Well I loved it anyway." Ginny insisted but she did indeed drop the issue. She could tell that the conversation was making him uncomfortable and so she changed the subject much to his great pleasure. "The second reason I came in here was to give you your gift."

Draco's head shot up and his eyes widened. "You didn't have to get me a gift."

"I know." She replied simply. "And neither did you. But we both did anyways. I opened mine and now it is time for you to open yours sir."

At her insistence Draco pulled himself away from his desk and crossed the room to his wife. He took the gift out of her outstretched hand and untied the perfect ribbon and then carefully opened the small box. Inside laid an object that was all too familiar to him: a snitch.

He looked up at her with confusion evident on his face. He had dozens of snitches, she knew that. Why would she give this one to him gift wrapped?

She smiled knowingly, "Turn it over silly."

He grasped the snitch and spun it around to so what was previously the back became the front. It was engraved with the words:

_**Caught by Draco Malfoy**_

_**Slytherin Beats Gryffindor**_

_**210 – 70**_

_**11/21/1996**_

Draco was speechless. He didn't know how but she had managed to find the only snitch that he had ever caught in a match against Gryffindor with Potter as the seeker.

"Is this real?"

Ginny giggled. "Yes sir it is. I couldn't decide what to buy you so I decided to try and find this. All it required was a couple owls back and forth with Madame Hooch to convince her that you deserved this. Turns out she keeps each and every snitch squirreled away somewhere in the pitch and all that information that you see on the back is recorded on each."

"Thank you Ginny, this really means a lot to me."

She beamed at him. "I know. I didn't know you really yet but even back then I could tell how much you wanted it."

Draco smiled slightly. He was incredibly surprised by the amount of emotion that stopped all the words in his throat. After a moment he was finally able to speak again. "You are right… but then again why am I even surprised? You have always been able to read me right? Not sure why I assumed that that didn't apply to before we were together."

He reached out and pulled her to him, wrapping her in his arms. He buried his face in her long red hair and whispered thank you again. When he pulled back he kissed her softly on the forehead and then said in a soft, sweet voice, "Would you like play a game of chess?"

Ginny laughed. "Why yes I would. That sounds like an amazing idea… as long as you are prepared to lose sir."

Draco scoffed at her statement and said, while still smiling, "You obviously don't know who you are addressing madam. I am the wizard chess champion of Slytherin five years running."

"And you are about to meet your match. I have 6 older brothers, all of whom are slightly obsessed with chess."

"Well this is obviously going to be a good game."

"Yep, you're on. Let me just go change."

* * *

Ginny crossed the room to open the door to her room. It was honestly rather strange that someone actually knocked on the main door to her bedroom. Normally her only visitors were Hallie and Draco and neither of them every actually knocked.

She swung open the door to see Narcissa standing there holding a garment bag.

"Hello there dear!" She said to her daughter-in-law beaming.

"Oh! Cissa! Come in!" Ginny hastily stepped aside to allow the older woman entrance into her bedroom.

"I know these are not your favorite words for some reason but I brought you a present!" Narcissa said holding out the bag. "I decided to spare you the shopping trip and just buy you a dress for New Year's Eve."

"Oh what are we doing on New Year's Eve?"

"It is just a small get together of friends, actual friends. Only twenty or so people, nothing to worry about."

"Oh ok, that sounds like fun. And thank you for the dress."

"You haven't even seen it yet."

Ginny smiled and said, "I know. I'm just jumping the gun, proving I'm am capable of just taking something and saying thank you."

Narcissa laughed at the younger woman. She simply adored Ginny and was firmly behind all of the friends who were pushing for the young couple to stay together. "Well go on then, look at it!"

Ginny carefully unzipped the bag and took out an amazing taupe colored cocktail length dress with a fitted bodice of silken pattern and a slightly flowing skirt in the same color that came down to about mid thigh length and, of course, it had a sweetheart neckline. Wow her mother-in-law obviously knew her style down to a T.

"It is perfect Cissa." Ginny beamed.

"I know." She responded with the proper ease of a Malfoy matriarch. "Oh! I also found something else that I doubt you'll mind taking from me." She pulled a perfume bottle out of her barely there fitted pockets and re enlarged it to normal size.

Ginny had to resist the urge to squeal as she instantly recognized the style of her favorite perfume, Dusk of Summer. It was a light floral scent that had always reminded her of summer afternoons at the Burrow but she had not been able to find it in years. Of course out of all people Narcissa would be able to magically find a bottle. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she immediately took the bottle without any sort of hesitation and bounced up and down ever so slightly.

Narcissa laughed again, "You're welcome darling, just consider it a slightly belated Christmas present." And with that she left Ginny to her own devices.

* * *

Before too long, Ginny's morning was interrupted once again by a slightly less agreeable person. "Let me in." Draco called form the bathroom door.

"Come in."

"Thank you. Can we go get lunch? I'm hungry." He said in particularly whiny voice.

Ginny resisted the urge to roll her eyes, it would only make him worse at this point. "Yes Draco, where would you like to go to lunch?

"I don't know… I'm just hungry. Can you figure out where I want to go?"

It was going to be a long afternoon.

* * *

New Year's Eve Dinner might just be Ginny's favorite Malfoy even of the year. The small dinner of just a few of the Malfoys' close friends had been just what they all needed to just relax after all the holiday festivities before having to go back to work in two days.

After the official dinner party was over the elder generations of the different families said their goodnights and retired to their various manors while the younger crowd kept the New Year's spirit going and turned up the intensity a bit.

Who knew that hanging out with a group of Slytherins could be so much fun?

Ginny was more than a little buzzed by the time that dinner was over. She had to say that Pansy, despite what the Gryffindors had always believed to be an incessant pug-ness could make a mad Appletini. Before she knew it Ginny had consumed four and was giggling madly along with all the other girls as they lazed on the couches that were sprawled all around the main sitting room in Malfoy Manor in the North wing.

Cissa and Salvia would be appalled if they saw the state of their favorite room now. There were pillows everywhere, alcohol free flowing, moved furniture and young bodies spread out all across the room.

"Hey lil Weasel," Theo said, flopping down next to her on the chaise that she was sprawled across upside down with her feet up on the top and her head laying at the foot. Thank the gods for sticking charms otherwise everyone would have gotten quite the view of the newest Mrs. Malfoy in her short cocktail dress.

"Nott! How can I help you love?" Ginny responded; the alcohol and the angle she was laying at forcing it to come out slightly slurred.

"It has been bothering me all night."

"What has?" Luna asked giggling. Ginny could not be sure but she was fairly certain that Luna was the only sober one in the room. As the longtime significant other of a highly respected Slytherin she had long ago been adopted as one of the group as had Beth since her marriage to Vince Crabbe.

"Ginny has! Are you sure you didn't pick the wrong Slytherin? I mean look at Draco! No physical appeal, no personality, and he is a nasty little bugger. Nope I definitely think you would have more fun coming home with me!"

From across the room Draco, who had managed to stay mostly sober, raised one perfectly arched eyebrow at his 'spouse' from his perch in a lounge chair. He was not sure he liked where this conversation was going especially when taking into account the amount of liquor that had been consumed. Hallie too seemed to share the same thought as she cast a questioning concerned glance at her host that was easily caught. This could go in a very wrong direction very quickly.

"Well, I don't know." Ginny said appearing to genuinely contemplate the question. "Let me see." She said after pulling herself into an upright position.

She leaned over and pulled Theo into a long kiss which both parties seemed to enjoy. They rolled off the chaise and on to the floor while everyone in the room smirked at their little show, everyone that is except for Hallie and of course Draco.

"Wow, not bad Theo." Ginny said as she ended the kiss.

Ginny then disentangled herself from the man and carefully made her way through the maze of bodies and furniture, almost falling on top of people several times, over to where Draco was sitting. She immediately sat on his lap and snuggled down making herself comfortable. "Slytherin number 2." She said loudly and held up what she hoped was the appropriate number of fingers.

Ginny wrapped her arms around Draco's neck and softly kissed him on the lips.

It was short and sweet. Just as she was about to pull away, already prepared to elaborate about how amazing a sweet and simple kiss could be when Draco put his hand on the back of her head and deepened it. He buried it in her long red curls and held her face firmly to his.

They both became lost in their perfect kiss and the feeling of holding which they had both been yearning for.

"Echem!" The couple was startled out of their little would by Blaise. "Get a room, mate!"

"Well, this is my house so technically this is my room." Draco said cheekily giving the darker man a smirk. "I could kick you all out right now and get down to business."

Blaise just rolled his eyes as the rest of the crowd let out a roar of laughter and Ginny turned bright red.

"So Gin," Theo called out as the laughter died down. "Who won? Which Slytherin do you prefer?"

"Hmm… I love you deeply already Theo but you have obviously never seen Draco naked. If you had then you would know, as most of the women in London can attest to, there is no contest when it comes to a Malfoy man." She said winking at Hallie and laughing.

This time it was Draco's turn to blush although it was only a slight tinge. "It hasn't been that many women."

"But you haven't seen mine love?" Theo continued to joke.

"And she's not going to Nott! She is mine! Stay away from her!" Draco threatened his friend, already tired of his jokes. He didn't know what had gotten into him. He was being entirely too possessive of this woman especially when considering the fact that Nott knew the whole story and was quite aware that Ginny didn't really have a choice and was far past drunk. Not to mention that Draco and Ginny were both fairly certain that Theo and Hallie were so back together, although no one had seen either of them long enough before tonight to confirm the suspicion.

"Calm down." Ginny soothed running her fingers through his hair. "He's only kidding. I'm not going anywhere. I'm contracted to you remember?" She joked quietly.

"Yeah well that enough of his jokes for tonight. He has obviously had way too much alcohol." Draco was truly miffed by Theo's drunken display. With all the old feelings that had been resurfacing over the last few weeks he was very attached to Ginny once again and there was no way in hell he was going to let someone else even pretend to try and take her away from him ever again.

Blaise looked at his fiancé after he watched the exchange between his two friends. He raised one eyebrow and she shrugged in return. Was there something going on behind closed doors in the Malfoy household that they were not being made aware of?

Not long after Draco's outburst the wives and girlfriends began to collect their men in order to take them home to sleep off yet another hangover caused by a Malfoy party.

Soon only Theo and Hallie were left. Theo was far too drunk to get himself home all alone. Thankfully though, Hallie graciously volunteered her services to help floo him home. She was none too sober herself but far more coherent than the Slytherin man.

After Draco and Ginny helped the other pair to the floo room they trudged up the stairs together and into their various apartments to finally retire for the evening.

* * *

Wow, what a kiss. That had been a mistake. A big mistake. What had she been thinking? Oh wait, she hadn't been thinking, the Appletinis were. Well that at least account for some of her lapse in judgment but not all of it. For god's sake she had basically snogged Draco for the entire world to see, granted most of the people present were under the impression that they were married, well married for real, but some of them knew the truth.

She was sure to get an earful from Luna in the morning despite any efforts Ginny might make to avoid her and after tonight she was sure there would be no way that Luna, or Hallie for that matter, would let her off without giving them some semblance of how she was actually feeling. That was truly the last thing Ginny wanted to talk about. She didn't know how she was feeling herself, how exactly could she be expected to articulate it to someone else? Especially when both of those possible someones could read her like an open book? Bloody hell, what a mess.

Ginny threw her hair up in a messy bun so that it would be out of the way while she maneuvered out of the cocktail dress from hell. "How does Cissa wear these every single day?" She wondered out loud.

"Carefully, very carefully." A familiar baritone voice said from behind her.

Ginny spun around to see Draco standing in the doorway that led to the bathroom. "Well she is a better woman than I." she said slowly taking in her 'husband's' appearance.

He had un-tucked and mostly unbuttoned the blue over shirt allowing Ginny a glimpse of his well defined chest. The sapphire blue tie had long ago been disposed of, sometime after the second round of firewhiskey shots she thought, and he had allowed his dress pants to slide dangerously low on his hips without a belt to help hold them up

"Do you need some help?" he inquired.

"If you don't mind." she responded, feeling the beginnings of a blush spreading across her body. "You can enter."

"I don't." he stepped across the barrier and came to a stop in front of her, waiting as she slowly spun around. His hand reached up and brushed against the back of her neck as he grasped the delicate zipper and slowly pulled it down to free Ginny from the dress. "There you go."

They both struggled to suppress a shiver of pleasure; one at being touched, the other at touching.

"Thanks." She said as she held the now open dress to her body like a shield.

"So I was wondering I you might want to play a game of chess?" Draco inquired in an abnormally friendly tone. "I am still slightly buzzed and won't get any sleep in this state."

"Sure. It's about time for a rematch. Do you mind if I just slip into something a little less formal?"

Draco let out deep melodic laugh. "No problem. I will just go finish changing and grab my chess set. Is five minutes enough time?"

"More than enough."

He gave her a nod and exited the room.

Since Draco was going to be in her room Ginny decided on some of her more modest pajamas. Pink stripped pajama pants and a black camisole. The cami may have been a tiny bit revealing but whatever, it wasn't as if he hadn't seen her breasts before. She left her hair just as it was, twisted up casually on top of her head; it was just Draco after all. As a last minute decision she sprayed a bit of her new perfume on herself. It smelled so good.

It wasn't long before he reappeared at her door, chess board in hand. What a sight he was. Ginny couldn't help but let her eyes feast on his appearance. Long and lean as ever, Draco came back wearing only a pair of black silk pajama pants leaving the rest of his body exposed as Ginny's evening eye candy. The best part though was his hair: he had removed the demon goo and simply let the fine platinum strands fall as they may into his big grey eyes. With looks like that no wonder she had fallen so hard for him back in school. Her and every women in London she once again reminded herself.

"Ready to get your arse kicked Weasel?" he said with a playfully devious smirk.

"In your dreams Ferret!"

He took two steps into the room before he stopped in his tracks. "What is that?" he asked. His eyes became wide with shock as he glanced around the room.

"What is what?" Ginny twisted around perplexed. She didn't see anything.

"That smell?"

"Oh, that's just my perfume." Ginny said as she relaxed. "Why? Don't you like it?"

"That's it!" he exclaimed, confusing her still further. Letting the chess set crash to the floor and scatter all about, he crossed the room to where she perched on the bed in two strides.

Not even waiting for approval, Draco scooped Ginny up into his arms and let his lips crash down on hers.

For a moment Ginny was too stunned to respond, but than her senses kicked in and she began to kiss him back. What could possibly be happening to make him behave this way? Well whatever it was Ginny loved it.

He seemed so much like the old Draco in that moment. Every emotion seemed to jump off his face and transfer into his urgent demanding kiss. For the first time in four years Ginny had found the man she had fallen in love with.

He slowly pulled away from but did not release her body. He leaned his forehead against hers and sighed in happiness before whispering, "It's you. It was always you."

* * *

Aren't you all excited? Another update! Between stuff I had already written, my 6 hours with nothing to do in the Charles DeGaulle Airport and 9 hours on the airplane and presto changeo another chapter! Lol

What do you think? Who's happy they are finally together? I have been waiting to get to New Years for 3 months! Lol

3 Care


	24. Reinventing the Wheel

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 24: Reinventing the Wheel

* * *

_He seemed so much like the old Draco in that moment. Every emotion seemed to jump off his face and transfer into his urgent demanding kiss. For the first time in four years Ginny had found the man she had fallen in love with._

_He slowly pulled away from but did not release her body. He leaned his forehead against hers and sighed in happiness before whispering, "It's you. It was always you."_

* * *

"What do you mean?" she whispered in a voice that was barely audible. She found that she was afraid to speak for the fear that whatever spell that had been cast over them would be broken.

Draco smiled at her, a brilliant and genuine smile. "You are the one I have been searching for. I think I have always known but I couldn't let myself believe."

Ginny began to laugh. "Draco, I have no idea what you are talking about love."

He chuckled and leaned in and gave her lingering kiss on the forehead. "Don't worry about it Red. All that matters is that I am so in love with you and it has been far too long since I last told you that."

Ginny could hardly breathe from the force of her happiness. She quickly found his lips yet again and kissed him passionately before he swiftly lifted her off the ground and spun her around shouting 'I love her' at the top of his voice, causing both of them to laugh.

When he finally put her back on the ground the happiness was still radiating from him. He continued to touch her and pull her body to his own. They were both more than aroused at this point with the prospect of being together with no strings or complications attached.

Finally, Ginny decided she had had enough of just standing and staring at each other. She back away from him still holding his hands and pulled him with her towards the bed. Once there she allowed him to slip her clothes off her body and begin the process of making love.

That night Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy were once again united on that most physical and emotional of levels. It was more magical than ever before; better than when they were nervous children barely aware of each other's bodies and more intense than their passionate embrace based on rage from the night of the Halloween Ball. For one night no one else in the world existed but the two of them.

Ginny awoke blissfully happy. She had barely slept at all that night and was absolutely exhausted but not surprisingly she did not at all care that she had been awoken time after time in the night by Draco. Neither one could seem to get enough of the other, which was understandable since they had been denied each other's presence for the past four years.

She lifted her head to study the face of the man on whom she was lounging. He looked so happy, even in his sleep. Ginny hadn't seen him look like that in a very, very long time.

She couldn't help but feel a memory that she had been long avoiding pop into her mind. She tried to keep it at bay, to follow Pansy's advice, but her mind won out and she followed her memories down the rabbit hole into the past.

* * *

_Ginny bounced up and down in her seat as she waited in one of the private rooms at the Leaky Cauldron. She was nervous… no, nervous did not quite cover it. She was nervous but also excited and anxious and… there were just a million and one emotions coursing through her that had put her on edge and made her feel as if she might actually be sick. _

_Not that she didn't have the right to be feeling this way for Ginny was currently waiting to see Draco for the first time in over three months and she had no clue what was going to happen. _

_She could no longer handle sitting in one place. She stood and began to pace. _

_She had not only not seen Draco in three months but she had also not spoken to him. Ever since the nights she had… left he had not responded to any of the letters she had owled him and now the war had officially been over for almost a month and, even though there is no way that he could have not known that she was in London, he had made no effort to see her. _

_That is until she received a short note yesterday. She pulled it out of her pocket and read it for what must have been the hundredth time and still all it said was:_

_G, _

_Meet me tomorrow evening at the Leaky Cauldron at 7. Room 13._

_-D_

_No love, no signs of missing her, no nothing and it was killing her. She knew that he must still be hurt by the way… things ended but she had hoped that he would at least be able to have cooled down enough to at least acknowledge one of her letters. She had sent him at least three dozen if not even more and not a single response was received._

_Ginny slowly traced the beautifully scripted D and was just about to raise it unconsciously to her lips when she heard the door slowly open and a pair of shoes take two steps inside. _

"_Hello Ginny," said a distant, almost cold imitation of her favorite voice in the world. _

_Ginny slowly lifted her head as he heart sunk. There standing before her was her perfect love. He looked exactly the same: tall, regal with angular features and ice blond hair. What was different about him though was not his looks but the man behind the stare. _

_Looking into his eyes forced her to suppress a shiver that threatened to creepy down her spine. He was ice cold. _

_Ginny could barely breathe. The words all sounded forced and she knew it but what else was she supposed to do? Run out of the room crying? No, that was not an option. "Hello Draco… how are you?"_

"_We need to talk. You have to stop trying to contact me" was all he said in response._

_She looked at him confused. "What happened?" she whispered. "I don't understand."_

"_What is there to not understand? I know that your folk are not known for their brains but I would have thought that even you could grasp the fact that I no longer want to have anything to do with you."_

"_So wait, that's it? After all the time we have been together you are just going to walk away?"She stared at him willing him to look at her._

"_I'm not the one who walked away. As far as I have been concerned we have been over for months."_

"_No… no! It was not over! It is not over!"_

_He finally sharply rose his eyes to her and she was taken aback to find that they were filled with pure rage. "Yes it is. I'm done with you." He hissed. _

"_But… I wrote you almost every day. Every day. You never responded. Why? Why did you never respond?"_

"_Why bother?"_

"_Because I love you."_

"_Well I suppose that is your problem now isn't it?" With those final words he turned and strode out of the room never once looking back._

* * *

Ginny had to hold back the familiar wave of tears that threatened to burst forth. This was the memory she had tried in vain to forget and never ever wanted to remember again. For years it had haunted her dreams, catching her unsuspecting any time she had felt that her heart had finally mended. The sound of the pain in his voice came back to her any time she had been with another man, the sight of his back turned walking away from her every time she finally felt herself giving in to total happiness.

She had always known what his words had not said that day, that he loved her and she had broken him. But in those final moments that were the close of their first relationship he had broken her too to a degree that she was never able to fully recover from.

No! It was over. She could not think about that now, not while she was lying in his arms. They were once again together. She needed to let it go. She forced her mind to shove the memories back where they belonged in the lead lined box deep in her mind she had created for them and focused all her attention on Draco once again. She reached up and ran a finger along his skin, tracing his perfectly angular face.

Her soft touch had the desired effect as his long blond eyelashes fluttered open and his face broke into a radiant smile as he focused on her form.

"Good morning Mr. Malfoy."

Draco stretched out his limbs before saying, still smiling, in a voice still full of sleep, "Good morning Mrs. Malfoy."

Ginny snorted and placed a soft kiss in the middle of his bare chest. "Strangely, I'm getting used to responding to that."

He smiled down at her and tentatively suggested: "Well maybe one day you'll like it enough to keep it permanently."

She paused for a moment as if in contemplation before responding, "Well there was a long period of time where I had already resolved myself to the idea… and now that the possibility is back on the table I rather just want to… forget everything that has happened and just see where this goes."

"I would like that more than you know." He said softly brushing a stray piece of hair from her face. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever known, inside and out, and now that he had her back he was certain he would never let her go again.

"Hey, how many more days do you have off?" he asked suddenly.

"Umm, I don't know… I was planning on going back on Monday." She mumbled with one eye closed.

He grimaced, that only gave them two days. "Is there any way you could take off a few extra?"

"I suppose, I have three years worth of backed up vacation days… Why? What are you thinking Draco?"

A grin slid across his face. "Perfect!" he said kissing her on the forehead. "You owl the hospital and tell them you are taking an extra week of vacation and I'll take care of the rest."

He slid out from under her and out of the bed. He quickly retrieved his boxer-briefs and then, after slipping them on, crossed the room heading towards the bathroom and his own bedroom.

"Draco!" She called after him. "What are you planning?"

"You'll see," was the only thing he responded.

* * *

An hour later Draco returned triumphant. He pranced back into her room and she couldn't help but grin at his carefree demeanor.

"Come in. So I'm assuming your journey went well."

"Why yes it did!" he exclaimed as he crossed the barrier. "Are you ready to go?"

Her face fell slightly in confusion. "But you haven't told me where we're going so I haven't packed anything and what about the rest of the family."

Draco's grin just got wider. "Well of course silly, if I let you pack for yourself that would ruin the surprise! I've asked Blinky and Lilly to pack for us both and send it along after we've gone. And as for the family my grandparents are leaving for a few weeks to go on vacation, mother is in France on business and I doubt my father cares, don't worry about any of them. We will be back before anyone notices. I'm just going to grab a few things for you for this afternoon, if you will allow it, and then join you in my room."

She gave him a look as if she did not trust him enough to leave him alone but she dutifully headed back through their joint bathroom and into his room.

Not even two minutes later he emerged. "Let's be off."

"Draco," Ginny said quietly to catch his attention. She could not stick to the promise she had made herself earlier to leave the past in the past. She had to know. "Before we go anywhere I have to know something… please don't get upset alright?"

He looked at her cautiously before saying, "Alright."

She took a deep breath and said. "I need to know whether or not you received any of the owls I send you during the three months I was gone."

Draco's face had frozen into a neutral expression, not hard and cold but not the inviting happiness from just moments earlier. Perhaps Ginny had made a huge mistake. "Yes."

"Yes you read them?"

"Yes."

Ginny's heart sank ever so slightly. The small shred of hope that she didn't even know she had been harboring that allowed her to believe that he had just never received them died in that moment. "Oh," was all she could make herself say.

"Yes, I received them. And I read all of them. They are tucked into the bottom drawer of my desk."

Her eyes flashed to him. "You kept them?"

He let out a mirthless chuckle. "Of course, I love you. Even when I didn't actually believe that myself I always knew it. I have all those even though I never responded to any of them and then all the ones from summer break in between my sixth and seventh year. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of anything even though I knew for my sanity that I should have. Instead I just tucked it away."

Ginny laughed quietly to herself and then crossed the room to where he stood. She rose up onto her tiptoes and kissed him softly. "Bloody hell we have been so stupid."

Draco chuckled. "Yes we have, mostly me though. I'm sorry."

She wrapped her arms around his waist. "No, me too. We just need to leave the past in the past and move forward. I love you."

"I love you too… Sooo are you bout ready then?"

She grinned at him. "Lead the way."

* * *

Ginny stepped out of the fireplace with Draco and eagerly looked around. Her first impression was that the place he had brought her was bright, very bright, and warm.

She looked around and was stunned to find herself standing in a hallway with an open door at the end leading out to a very bright, white terrace. Ginny could smell the beach and a warm breezed swirled playfully around her.

She looked up at Draco. "Where are we love?"

He grinned at her cheekily. "Welcome to our new island hideaway."

She was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well… don't get mad at me ok?" he shifted his eyes away from her and almost looked bashful but strangely proud of himself at the same time.

She raised an eyebrow. "'What did you do?"

"I kind of… sort of… bought an island."

Ginny snorted. "You can do that?

"Why yes you can actually. This is now Malfoy Island… it's not a very big island at all but still I figured the grand gesture behind it was just enough over the top."

Ginny made a face and put a finger to his lips to silence him. "I get it… but we're going to have to work on that name love." She said laughing as she stepped away from him to explore.

"What's wrong with that name?" she heard him continue in the room where she had left him. "Malfoy is a good name! It's your name too I might point out madam…"

She shook her head and chuckled before stopping cold. Her mouth dropped open as she walked into a gigantic open room that encompassed a sitting room, kitchen and dining room. Everything was done in white and turquoise and one wall was entirely made out of windows which looked out onto a perfect picturesque beach framed by palm trees.

Draco had really out done himself.

"So what do you think?"

She spun around to see Draco leaning haphazardly against the door frame.

"It's absolutely beautiful Drae."

His face broke out into a grin. "Good! I'm glad you like it. Just consider it a belated wedding present."

Ginny's smile faltered ever so slightly.

"What's wrong Gin?"

"I'm not sure," she said as she moved to sit down on long blue couch. She gestured for him to join her. "It's just… ever since last night you have mentioned three or four times the prospect of us staying together indefinitely, which is fine, it's just…I don't know, all that type of talk just feels like we are moving too fast."

"We've been together for three months already."

"I know! And parts of them have been wonderful but we both know that sometimes it wasn't and I just want to make sure that we don't race back down this road again with exceedingly high expectations when at the end of the year we might not feel the same way. I'm trying to protect both of us from getting hurt again."

Draco shook his head and smiled at her sadly. "This is all my fault. I know, before you say anything else, we both made mistakes and hard choices but we both know that in the end it was me and not you who pulled the plug. I'm truly sorry for that love and I know I can't just flip a switch and things will go right back to the way they used to be. All I'm asking for is a chance to make you want to keep that ring forever. I was serious when I told you that I had been saving it for you, from almost the beginning of our relationship. I always knew I wanted to marry you and last night forced me to see once again that it has been you all along but I don't expect you to automatically revert back. I'm not going to lie to you and say ok I'll stop and we can reevaluate in November, I have every intention of keeping you in my life but if that means I need to move slower right now then so be it. But I just need to make sure that you know I finally found a cause I believe in enough to fight for it: us."

Ginny continued to contemplate momentarily what he had said before slowly nodding her head. "Alright, I can accept that. Well, we don't have to take things that slow. After last night there doesn't seem to be much of a point and I personally have missed everything about your body so slow in that department is just entirely unacceptable, but I do want us to enter into the understanding that I at least am considering the time between now and November to be a… probation period of sorts. Not as in we both need to walk on eggs shells but as in let's try to have a functioning relationship and see how it goes."

"I feel that I can agree to that." Draco said as the genuine smile began to return to his face.

"And I guess while we're on serious subjects we should discuss who we are telling the truth to."

"Well I don't know about you but I don't see why we have to tell anyone anything. We are already married in public and decent friends to the people who matter, why don't we just try to keep this between the two of us, not let anyone else's opinions matter, because let's face it both of our families and all our friends are rather opinionated.

Ginny made a sound that sounded almost like a snort. "That is the understatement of the century, literally."

"So are we good then love?"

"Yes." She smiled. "We are on the same page now I believe. Sooo when you were rummaging around in my room did you by any chance pick up one of my swimsuits?"

Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out two small pieces of red cloth which Ginny recognized immediately. He re-enlarged them to normal size which did not make it look very much bigger and looked up at her with a gigantic smirk on his face. "I found this." He said triumphantly holding the barely there bikini top up to his broad chest.

Ginny's eyebrow shot up. "Why am I not surprised? Of course you did."

He held up the barely there top and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "When did little Miss Ginevra Weasley start buying clothing like this?"

"When she became a free agent and spent three weeks at Christmas completely drunk and doing unspeakable things in Mexico."

Draco's face faltered. "What kind of unspeakable things?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." She said cheekily before kissing him quickly on the lips and dashing from the room to continue exploring.

"Yes!" he called after her, hot on her trail. "Yes I would!... Will you at least show me?"

* * *

Wow sorry guys. I'm crazy insane right now. Juggling WAAAAY too much in my personal life and then I just had no idea where I wanted to go with this chapter. I have been struggling with serious writers block in general BUT now this chapter is done, a little short but DONE! YAY! Annnnnd fun filled news is that there are probably…. I think I'm going to stretch it out to 3 more chapters left in the whole story… wow I can't believe I'm so close to being done… tear…. But they aren't out of the woods yet! Ok enjoy! And let me know what you think!

Care


	25. Changes

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 25: Changes

* * *

Hallie let herself in to the main part of the Malfoy Manor from the apparition point on Monday afternoon. She waved to Blinky when he popped into the room and continued to rush up to her best friend's room. She immediately let herself in and started to call out Ginny's name.

Ginny emerged from the bathroom fully clothed but towel drying her damp hair after her post work shower on her first day back at work. "Hey Hallie, what's up?"

Hallie narrowed her big blue eyes and scrunched up her little nose and surveyed Ginny as if she already disbelieved everything her friend was about to say. "Where have you been?" she inquired shrewdly.

"Nowhere!"

"What have you been doing?"

"Nothing!"

"Who were you with?"

"No one!"

"Oh my god I knew it! You are sleeping with Draco again."

Ginny looked up sharply and starred at her best friend in both shock and a little bit of awe. "How did you even make that jump?"

"I'm a genius." She said self-satisfactorily as she flopped down on the couch.

"Hallie!"

"No seriously, the only thing you have ever consistently… well not lied about but certainly didn't offer any information about was your relation_ships_ with Draco. So when you both vanished for a week with no explanation I put two and two together and voila. And then for confirmation I went to the house elves. Buggers know everything that goes on! Seriously, like watch what you say."

Ginny could do nothing but gaze back with her mouth hanging wide open. "I can't even say anything in my defense… other than I am now coming up with five of six new ways of torturing my favorite house elf."

"Shh! Don't say that too loud or you might give the crazy little masochists new ideas!"

Ginny couldn't help but laugh as she joined her friend's seated position. "I know right? Well actually ever since I ordered Blinky never to hurt himself because of me he has gotten even more outspoken than he was before. It has caused quite the scandal in the manor. I actually found some of the other elves trying to shut his ears in the oven for him for telling me he didn't like the outfit I was wearing. Seems I have created a houseelf monster. Then there's Draco's Lilith… she is an entire different version of crazy."

Hallie's face twitched into a smile but then she remembered why she had come and shouted out, "No! You are trying to get me off topic with your fantastical tales of houseelf antics! Get back on topic! Are you and Draco back together?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that."

"Which essentially means yes. Why won't you tell me the truth?"

Ginny grinned but then buried her face into the nearest pillow on the couch. "Because we decided we were just going to keep it between the two of us and I still agree that it should stay that way; too many opinions and too much advice if we actually talk to people."

"But I'm your best friend."

"Yes, and so is Luna and Draco has Blaise and Theo. I understand but people knowing just makes it harder. We are trying to rediscover each other and actually make this relationship work… maybe for the long term. I don't know but we are just trying to wait and see."

"Fiiine." Hallie whined, conceding. "Will you at least tell me where you disappeared off to for an entire week without informing anyone?"

"I suppose." Ginny grinned. "We went on a tropical vacation because Draco … bought an island."

"He did WHAT?"

Ginny laughed and repeated her statement. "He bought a bloody island. Like a small piece of land floating out in the middle of the Caribbean and it was absolutely beautiful Hallie! Perfect even."

Hallie threw up her hands as if in defeat. "See how is this in anyway fair?"

"What are you going on about now?"

"Think about it, I got gypped on my choice of Slytherin obviously. Blaise has a gigantic villa in Greece, Draco has a freaking island in the Caribbean…. What does Theo have? Nothing!" she laughed. "I did not make a good decision… unless it turns out that he is secretly the prince of… I-don't-give-a-fuck land and thus making me a freaking princess. I feel like I would win then.

Ginny could hardly catch her breath from all the laughter. Hallie was seriously borderline insane, and that was saying something living in the wizarding world. "Or you could just go find a prince and make him marry you."

"Nah, despite his lack of a muggle title I am too in love with mine to give him up. I kind of want to keep him."

"Well it seems as if Miss Hallie hasn't been sharing with the class either. Little hypocrite! First you skip my ball and then you say nothing on New Years. I know you two fixed everything though, you were both much too happy at the party for you to have not."

"Yes well that happened, get over it."

"It's rather weird that we all seem to be getting our happy endings doesn't it?" Ginny asked contemplatively as she shifted her position to lay her head in the other woman's lap.

"No, I think it is justified after all this time actually." Hallie replied as she began to run her fingers through her friend's long red locks.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I don't know, I just can't shake the feeling that I'm not out of the woods yet. I'm probably crazy, a natural reaction from having to be so on guard for 4 months."

"Well you were crazy before you married Draco but I'm sure this didn't help."

"Wow, thanks Hal." She said sticking her tongue out at her friend. "So you're not going to tell anyone right? I don't want Draco to find out you know, he will get upset."

"Well technically I guessed so it isn't your fault but I won't tell anyone, I promise."

"Thank you."

* * *

Not long after that Hallie once again left the manor and just a few minutes later Draco returned from work.

He entered through his room, laid his coat on his bed and then headed straight for the bathroom. He knew that Ginny would be on the other side of the door and did not want to wait a minute longer to see her. He was becoming pathetically in love with the woman yet again. He thought about her all the time, couldn't focus because of how happy he was and even had closed the gallery a bit earlier then he usually did just because he knew that she was off work.

This woman would probably be the ruin of him, he thought as he opened the door to her bedroom. The moment he saw her though he knew that he could not care less.

She was stretched out on her stomach along her bed already in pajamas casually flipping through the pages of the latest edition of Witch Weekly and chewing on the tip of one long strand of her russet locks. Draco could not physically contain himself from smiling at how adorable she was. "Hey Red, mind if I join you?"

"I suppose." Ginny said dramatically despite the giant grin that had slid into place the moment she had heard his voice. "Come on in."-

"Why thank you oh great one." Draco said in his most sarcastic 'we-are-not-amused' voice and rolling his eyes as he stepped across the threshold. He quickly crossed the room and flopped onto the bed which caused the whole bed to shake. He continued to wiggle in an attempt to make himself comfortable.

"Have you quite finished?" Ginny exclaimed as he jostled her elbow for what must have been the tenth time.

"I suppose." He said smirking as he imitated her earlier response.

"You know if I didn't love you I would find you exceptionally annoying."

"I feel like you say that quite often as it were."

"That's because it's true!"

"What are you reading?" he said pointedly ignoring her final comment and snatching the magazine out of her grasp.

"What does it look like you great louse? It's Witch Weekly, now give it back."

Once again he simply ignored her and continued on with his train of thought. "How can you even read this? There is absolutely no substance to it!"

"Oh you only say that because you are no longer the weekly centerfold."

He had to suppress a snort of laughter. "Well obviously they have lost the last shred of good sense they had for not inviting me back."

"Or maybe they did and your new wife could have written them back to say that under no circumstances would you be doing that again as per your grandfather's instructions and her own violent opinion."

Draco's jaw dropped open. "You didn't?"

"Oh but I did." Ginny said haughtily. "First of all you have a new image I am trying to protect, second, your grandfather asked me to do it, and finally and most importantly, you are now mine and I have no intentions of sharing anymore of you with other women even if it is only to look and not touch."

"Possessive much?"

"Very much. How would you feel if I tried to pose for a men's magazine?"

"I'd kill someone."

"Exactly."

Draco sighed in reluctant defeat but still felt the need to get in the last word. "You still could have told me."

"I just did." She said sticking her tongue out at him.

"Fine…You want to take a shower?" he asked wiggling his eyebrows at her in an attempt to smoothly change the subject.

"My hair is wet genius." She said laughing at his playful expression. "I just took a shower not too long before you got home."

"You want to take another one?" he grinned.

"No! You are awful." She giggled leaning down to give him one delightfully lingering kiss. "Go take your shower and then come back to me."

Draco let out a long and overly dramatic sigh. "Fine. I suppose if you refuse to come along and have some fun I will just go by myself… but you owe me woman."

Ginny didn't even reply as she watched him walk back into the bathroom already disrobing as he went.

At the door he turned back around with a wicked expression. "Should I bother getting dressed when I'm done?"

She couldn't help but allow a small smile to play about her lips at his words. "Go!"

She shook her head and the amused smile lingered as he finally disappeared into the bathroom. She was so incandescently happy. She loved their battle of wits and wills. It just wouldn't be their relationship if some light hearted bickering didn't find its way into daily conversation. No, this was practically perfect. She had the best of both worlds: sweet and almost sensitive Draco and the snarky, Slytherin Draco both of whom were entirely in love with her.

* * *

And so time passed. Before they knew it January had escaped and then February began in much the same way as the month did every year in England, crisp and cold. Snow covered the grounds of Malfoy Manor transforming it into a winter wonderland the likes of which Ginny had only ever dreamed about, but despite the beauty of winter, Ginny started out the month feeling a bit under the weather. For about a week she had been feeling nauseous and a bit bloated but she convinced herself, as she always did when she was feeling poorly, that there was no way she had time to be sick right now. There was too much going on in the next week for her to take even a moment off for sick leave.

No, this was possibly one of the busiest weeks of her year, the annual St. Mungo's Valentine's Fund Raiser Gala. As if the Malfoys didn't fulfill her annual quota of balls, no now she had to plan the Gala for a third year in a row as the chair of the committee.

And to top it all off she had had no time to take a moment to find herself a dress. Because of this she couldn't believe it but she found herself agreeing to let Draco find her a dress for her biggest personnel event of the season. She still had not decided whether or not this was a good idea but at this point she had no choice. Her husband had good taste and since she would be on his arm she knew he would want her to look spectacular but that still did not ward off the anxiety that formed in the pit of her stomach right under the constant nausea that had taken up permanent residence in her body.

She would just have to have faith in her favorite blond snake for the sake of preserving her sanity because she had far too much else to deal with without any added pressures.

Despite all the pitfalls and crazy sleepless nights of decorating, finalizing and worrying though, everything eventually began to pull itself together so that by the time the night before the gala rolled around Ginny was actually able to crawl into bed ready for a good night's sleep.

* * *

Ginny awoke with a start, violently pulled out of her slumber by uncontrollable sobs. She brought her hands to her face and attempted to take a few deep breaths to slow the uncontrollable trembling of her body.

The noise of her episode jostled Draco from his sleep. "Gin?" he asked groggily. "Hey love what's wrong?"

Ginny could not force herself to speak.

Draco grabbed his wand and lit up the room with a soft, warm light. He pushed himself up out from under the covers and rolled his wife over to face him. "What happened Red? Did you have a nightmare or something?" He asked trying in vain to control a yawn.

Ginny took a few deep breaths and then forced herself to nod her head slowly.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

This time she shook her head no.

He stared down at Ginny and began to gently stroke her hair in an attempt to calm her down. Draco was really beginning to worry about her. She had been running herself ragged for the last few weeks to get ready for this damn ball. He knew it was an important fund raiser for the hospital but Ginny had come home every single day absolutely exhausted, and a few times she had not come home at all but spent entire nights at the venue for the gala before heading straight back to work. She hardly ate anymore but yet never seemed to have an appetite. He really needed to talk to her about slowing down otherwise she would make herself extremely sick.

Despite Draco's soothing touch Ginny could not calm herself down. No, she could not and she definitely did not at all want to tell him about her dream because she had lied. That was no nightmare that she had just experienced… that was a memory, meticulously locked away deep in the recesses of her mind which her subconscious was apparently ready to let come out and play.

* * *

The next morning Draco watched Ginny like a hawk. He was searching for any sign in her demeanor that might betray some little clue of exactly what had caused his beautiful wife to wake in such hysteria the night before.

But Ginny, for her part, was more than aware that Draco was observing her and scrutinizing her every move, because of this she was a little extra careful to remain engaged in conversation with the family and act as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

They remained locked in this standoff all day long while they went about their various activities, Ginny in last minute preparation for the gala and Draco just going over various assorted paperwork for the gallery.

Finally, around five o'clock in the afternoon the pair decided it was time for them to begin preparations. The event started at eight that evening but Ginny wanted to floo over at seven just to be on the safe side.

So they put aside everything they had been working on and headed to the bathroom to get ready. After much convincing, Draco persuaded Ginny that they should conserve water and just shower together and, despite her better judgment, Ginny eventually agreed. He was just so cute standing there doing his very best to imitate an innocent face that she finally gave in even though she knew that because of some less than innocent activities it would mean losing valuable time.

After half an hour they finally emerged and Ginny quickly banished Draco to his own room to begin getting dressed otherwise she knew that she would never actually be able to get clothes on. He reluctantly obeyed.

Fifteen minutes later though he was back at the bathroom door and begging entrance into her room.

"Come in." she said exasperatedly.

He grinned his all too familiar cheeky grin at her and flopped down into one of the chairs. "Hi." He said gleefully.

"Hi." Ginny replied cautiously. Ever since they had gotten back together Ginny seemed to actually be less trusting of Draco, everything he did just seemed to scream 'I'm up to something.'

"How's it coming?"

"I'm working on my makeup as you can very well see."

"Very nice, very nice. So I don't want to go."

"Oh no! Don't you even start with me Draco Malfoy. How many of these damn events have I gone to for your family? You do not have a say in this matter."

"I know."

"Then why bring it up? Do you just want to get smacked?"

"Depends…," he said slowly with a cheeky grin. "Is that an offer or a promise?"

Ginny couldn't help but giggle at his response but she threw a pillow at him for good measure. "I'm not even going to dignify you with a response. I am just going to change the subject. You know, it will be so nice not to have to spend all night making sure I don't run into you. Avoiding you always got so exhausting."

"You avoided me?"

"Mhm, both year of the years I have planned it you have been the one to attend the St. Mungo's Benefit Gala for some reason and every year I made sure to zero in on you as soon as you arrive and then ensure that we managed to stay on opposite sides of the room the entire night.

Draco laughed. "That's funny because I always had a very similar routine for this particular gala."

"I can imagine." She smiled as she looked at him through the mirror. "I'm so glad I just get to be on your arm tonight rather that all that nonsense."

"Me too. Plus with me as your date it will be a significant improvement over that arse you had last year. What was his name? Michael? Matthew?"

"Mitchell. And hey! I liked that arse at the time, right up until he cheated on me. Besides it is customary to bring a date to events like that and since he was my boyfriend then I figured it would be a good idea to bring him unlike other people in this room who have insisted on attending stag and making a big entrance every single year."

"What can I say? I like being the center of attention."

"Really?" Ginny asked her face full of sarcastic shock. "I had never noticed."

"I know hard to believe. That's why you love me though, because I'm so shy and retiring." He leaned down over her and slunk in for a kiss.

Ginny obliged him but then took control of the situation. This had Draco avoidance technique written all over it and if she didn't do something quick they would most definitely end up being late. "Go finish getting dressed!" she urged her husband, pushing him playfully in the direction of his own room. "And don't come back until you are ready to apperate away."

Draco stuck out his tongue but followed Ginny's instructions.

As soon as he was safely in the other room Ginny's face fell and she gave in to the awful feeling that was ripping through her body. She swallowed back a familiar wave of nausea. What in the bloody hell was wrong with her? She had been asking herself that for two weeks and her healer's mind kept popping up with the same answer that Ginny was just unwilling to believe. If she were being honest with herself she would admit that she knew exactly what was wrong with her but she really had no time to think about things such as that.

Instead she simply opened up the top drawer of her vanity and downed yet another tiny vial of the potion to combat the nausea and then stood to finally get dressed and slip into her gown which she still had yet to see.

Ginny walked over to the bed and slowly unzipped the garment bag to reveal the most beautiful black silk dress. It was strapless with an understated sweetheart neckline and a jeweled broach adorning the A line waist as the only ornamentation. She was speechless. He had really out done himself with this gown.

She carefully lifted it from the bag and allowed herself to slip carefully into the dress and magically zipped it up. She fastened on her shoes and even with the 4 inch stiletto heels that she had bought for the occasion she noticed that the gown still elegantly pooled around her feet.

If it was possible to fall in love with an item of clothing then Ginny was definitely head over heels. It was the perfect gown and put all the others she had worn to shame, at least in her own mind.

Just as she finished admiring herself in her full length mirror she heard a soft knock on the door. She spun around smiling and allowed Draco entrance.

Despite being granted permission Draco could not move for several moments. He had seen Ginny in gowns a dozen times by now but for some reason it was all he could do to keep his mouth from dropping wide open in awe of his love's beauty. Why did this one affect him so? She always looked beautiful, he knew that. It was just something about the glow she had tonight, she was absolutely stunning.

She smiled at him and asked, "So what do you think sir?"

Draco quickly came back to his senses. "I think I am the best damn stylist you have ever had. You look amazing love."

Ginny giggled and beamed at him. "Conceit and complement, why am I not surprised?" She walked over and gave him a kiss. She then proceeded to blatantly look him up and down. "You don't look half bad yourself sir."

This of course Draco knew. He had on his perfectly tailored black dress robes with perfectly pressed white tuxedo shirt and slacks and topped off with a bowtie.

"I'm not sure how I feel about the bowtie though…"

Draco just smirked at her. "I don't know what you are talking about! Bowties are cool… and sexy."

"Maybe on you."

"That's all I care about. Now come on woman! Let's go or we are going to be late. Bloody hell you take forever to get ready!" he said cheekily as he moved away from her and quickly towards he door.

"I'm going to hit you."

He grinned at her and said: "You keep making promises but you never follow through…"

* * *

The evening went beautifully. All of Ginny's hard work paid off, they ended the evening with several new donors and all those who had given money before had renewed their vow of donation. She was beyond pleased.

The only thing that dampened the evening was that Ginny was acutely aware of how Draco's mood had slowly been failing the entire evening so that by the time they had returned home it had been nearly an hour since he had spoken.

Draco followed Ginny into the main door of her room. She could tell that he was fuming mad but had refused to say anything to her throughout the end of the event and the journey home. He had just sat there in his stone cold Malfoy silence with a blank expression on his aristocratic face. With every moment he stood there and pouted she could feel her own infamous Weasley temper flaring up despite the fact that she knew it would solve nothing. She had no clue what could possibly be the matter with him but now that they were home she was more than ready to find out.

"Alright," she said as she watched him attempting to escape back to his own room. "What in the bloody hell is the matter with you?"

"Whatever are you speaking of _dear_?" he said in a sarcastically patronizing tone.

Ginny felt herself bristling but she tried to contain it. She really did not want to fight with Draco but she knew that this could easily turn into a knock down drag out verbal brawl if she didn't at least attempt to steer it away from that. "I can tell you have been getting more and more upset as tonight went on. Please tell me what happened to make you so mad."

She looked and sounded so sweet that Draco very much wanted to let go of all the anger he had been storing up and just fold her into his arms like he knew he should but in the end the green monster of jealousy whom he had not even realized was controlling him won out. "You really want to know? I just got tired of watching you, the woman who claims to be in love with me, hang over other men all night."

Ginny was completely taken aback. What was he talking about? She had almost spent the entire night attached to his arm or dancing with him. The only times she had left his side was to be paraded around by the head of the hospital as their golden girl to try and get the donors to give even more money than they normally did. It was a tedious process that Ginny absolutely loathed but was necessary.

"You spent half of the night dancing with that one bloke! I barely saw you once he showed up."

"Mr. Norman? Is that who you are talking about? I danced with him three times Draco! That is hardly all night! He recently donated a huge sum of money to the St. Mungo's and Healer Hollingsworth asked me to make sure that I danced with him. You know just as well as I do that they have been trying to make me the face of the hospital for years."

"Oh I'm sure, well you all did look like you were having a bloody good time. Very cozy out there together."

Ginny was in shock, "What are you implying Malfoy?"

"That maybe you are trying to work your way up the social ladder Weasley. Malfoy name not good enough anymore for you? Or maybe we're not rich enough?"

All the anger drained from Ginny's body in that moment to be entirely replaced by cold, painful anguish. "I don't need or want your money or anyone else's. we both know that. I have never asked for your money. I can take care of myself without you."

"Yes but you do not seem to have any problems being paid by my family to make people think that we are sleeping together."

She was in shock at what he was implying. Ginny could physically feel her heart breaking. "Get out. Now."

"Oh now you're giving me orders? In my house?"

"GET OUT!" she screamed.

All he did was turn on his heel and stiffly walk back to his own room without another word.

Ginny fell onto the bed in absolute hysterics, despair and abandon consuming her soul. She managed to pull herself together just enough to find her want. She had to know right then and there the answer to the question that had been plaguing her for weeks. Wand in hand she recited a simple spell. She took held her breath and as a beam of white light shot out of the tip of her wand. She slowly moved it over her abdomen and watched through her still falling tears as the white became flooded with blue and she collapsed once again, this time in panic.

It was official: Ginny Weasley was pregnant with Draco Malfoy's child.

* * *

Yeaaaaah don't hate me please. I know I just got them together but it really was necessary to tear them apart again…. We'll see what happens.

So in other news, I'm going to dedicate this chapter to one of my bffls Kait who not only is one of my beloved readers but also who's habit of reading my mind (and vice versa) inspired the style of the Hallie/Ginny argument at the beginning of this chapter and that has been featured in several others as well.

Also I know some people will be annoyed in didn't describe the gala. It honestly is not important other than to give them a reason to fight so I chose not to describe it and distract from the couple.

I also had the opportunity to pay homage to my beloved 11th Doctor from Doctor Who. Bowties are cool and forever sexy.

Please read and review…. Tell me what you think. Yell at me (as I expect some of you will). I accept and love them all…

Care


	26. All Falls Down

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 26: All Falls Down

* * *

Somewhere in the middle of the night Ginny's body and mind could no longer handle the agony of her despair, confusion and sheer terror of the future and it made the decision for her to shut down for some much need, albeit tortured sleep.

She awoke sometime mid morning and at first could not let herself believe what had occurred. Praying that it was all a dream, she slipped off of the bed and shuffled her way across her room and through the bathroom where she slowly opened Draco's door. What she saw frightened her even more, if that was even possible. Everything in his room was in complete disarray. Chairs were overturned and papers were strewn about, nothing was in its proper place as if he had uncharacteristically spent the night just violently attempting to destroy everything. Draco himself, though, was nowhere to be found.

She quickly shut the door and rushed back to her own room, still not quite believing what she had seen. Ginny couldn't handle it any longer. She would not just sit here and let things go back to the way they were before.

She was in love with him, she always had been and always would be, it was as simple as that and a return of the cold cruel Draco would probably kill her. She pressed her hand to her abdomen. That man was never going to be around her child. No, she had the best piece of Draco and, money or no money, she was going to take it and run.

She wiped this most recent round of tears away from her eyes and sprung to action. Hurrying over to her desk she owled Hallie to come right away and ordered the bird to try their flat first then Theo's. She then proceeded to magic all of her clothes into a suitcase. Had she paused to consider what she was doing she probably would not have taken anything that had been bought for her while at the Manor but she was too distracted to think of such things.

15 minutes later, in the middle of her frenzy a response came that Hallie would be over soon.

Once she had finished Ginny quickly shrunk everything she owned and stuck it into her pocket. She then calmly sat down in one of the chairs to wait for her friend's arrival. As she waited she could not force her mind to stay in the present and it floated back to the one memory that she had never allowed herself to think of until the night before last when it had floated into her dreams as if it were an omen predicting once again the downfall and utter destruction of their relationship. She knew there would be no hope of holding back a new round of tears as her mind slipped once again into the past.

Within twenty minutes Hallie had arrived. She burst into Ginny's room with a concerned expression plastered on her pretty face. She found her friend curled into a ball with her knees drawn up to her chest and tears silently streaming down her face. "Ginny? What's wrong? What happened baby?"

"I'm leaving him Hallie."

Hallie was speechless. Of all the things that she had expected to come out of Ginny's mouth that had not even made it into the top twenty. "I don't understand."

"He is cruel and jealous and spiteful and I refuse to spend another night under the same roof as him." Ginny replied in an uncharacteristically monotone voice that sent a chill through Hallie.

Hallie stared at her friend confused. It was as if she had no clue who the broken little person in the armchair was. She couldn't possibly be her best friend. She didn't know what to say. "Are… Are you sure? Slow down. You might just be over reacting love. Let's talk about this."

"I'm leaving. I don't want to talk about it. I want you to take me home… but if you won't help me then I will go by myself."

"No! I will help you! Come on Gin. Let's go downstairs. Luna is there waiting, we were at lunch when I got your owl." She opened her arms to Ginny.

Ginny simply nodded, stood up and walked into Hallie's open arms. The two then slowly made their way downstairs.

Before they had even reached the bottom step though Narcissa and Luna heard their steps and hurried out of one of the nearby rooms to intercept the pair.

Ginny shrunk back as she saw the two women who had come to accost them. She should have known she would not get out that easily.

Luna immediately launched into a tirade, firing questions at Ginny while Hallie tried to answer but Ginny was not interested in either of them. She had her eyes locked directly on her mother-in-law trying to gauge her for a reaction.

Narcissa's face wore a perfectly placed Malfoy mask but upon further examination of her tiny friend's demeanor she broke down and opened her arms wide to the distraught Ginny.

Ginny rushed to her and a whole new wave of tears flowed out. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I tried."

Narcissa leaned back to look down into Ginny's eyes. "Of course you did. I'm not sure what happened but I'm sure you have your reasons darling. Will you at least sit down and have a cup of tea before you leave? Maybe explained what happened?"

Ginny hesitated. She really was not sure if it was a good idea to linger in the house when he could essentially be back at any minute but she also felt that she owed it to Narcissa to at least explain a little of what had happened to the woman who had done so much for her.

The whole group moved into the sitting room that Luna and Narcissa had so recently vacated.

Within moments the tea was there and the houseelves had served them all in their normal timely fashion.

Ginny tried to take a small sip of her tea but quickly decided that she really was not going to be able to stomach it. She decided the best thing to do was to go right into her explanation. "Alright I feel like the first thing I should say is that our ruse was never a real ruse Cissa. Draco and I really were together back at Hogwarts and when this whole charade began it just seemed like telling the truth was the easiest way to go about it."

"I cannot lie, I knew back then that Draco had to be dating someone but I never pressed him because I could tell he was trying to hide the fact. It never seemed like a problem and he was just so happy for a while… I never did understand why it all changed though."

Ginny instinctively grimaced. Here it was once again, an opening, a moment that almost begged for Ginny to come out with the truth and share that most painful of memories. A moment that seemed so small but that determined the course of the last years of her life in so many ways.

"Now I'm really not even sure where to begin…"

* * *

_Draco flung himself down on the couch in his room. "How could you do this to me?" he asked his voice barely above a whisper._

"_What are you talking about?" she wheeled around on him, furious at his trying to point fingers at a time like this. "Draco I am not doing anything to you. My family and friends need me. They need the powerful old magic that is coursing through my veins to defeat the evil that has plagued our world for thirty years."_

"_But why does it have to be you that has to go and save the world?" he sat up and he reached out to grab her hips and pull her entire body towards him despite her attempts to wiggle away. He hugged her hips and leaned his head into her abdomen. "I don't want to lose you."_

_He was sure that she could feel his lips on her stomach. Certain she could feel the tension in his muscles from trying to hold onto her and never let her go. And she was utterly positive that she could acutely feel his pain at losing her just as he could feel her grief at having to leave him._

"_Oh Drae, you aren't going to lose me. I am going to be fine. It's just that the war effort needs my help and I can't say no." she ran her fingers through his fine white blond hair and hugged his head closer to her. She needed for him to understand her sorrow and her love. _

_He pressed his lips to the small strip of exposed abdomen that her shirt allowed and muttered "Let Saint Potter save the world, your mine," his lips never leaving her skin._

_She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the top of his platinum head. "Everyone I love is out there endangering their lives to make this world a better place. I should be too."_

_Draco immediately let go and pushed himself off the couch. "Oh, everyone you love? What? Do I not matter anymore? Or where you just lying every time you said you loved me?" _

_Ginny realized her mistake in wording and tried in vain to pull him to her and apologize. "No! I didn't mean it like that. Of course I still love you! Draco, I have fallen so totally and completely in love with you. I want to be with you forever."_

_He jerked his arm from her grip and crossed the room. "I'm sure. That is why you are trying to leave me." He starred at her trying to convey every emotion he was feeling in one look._

_The pain in his eyes broke her heart. She had to fix it before she lost everything. "Oh Draco, they are my world, but without you there is no sun, no joy, no love. You are everything that I need to survive." She slowly crossed his bedroom to the place he was standing. _

_Draco's whole body tensed as she approached him. She reached out and wrapped her arms around him trying to get ever line of her body to match up to his and rested her head against his shoulder. Gradually she could feel the tension leave his muscles and he slumped against her to join her in the embrace. _

_Ginny lifted her head to look into that amazing pair of silver eyes and was startled to see them glistening with unshed tears. Draco Malfoy was crying because of her. She felt her heart actually break. "What can I do?" she choked out around tears of her own. "How can I fix it so that I can make it better for you?"_

_He did not respond for a moment as he tried to collect himself enough to speak. He finally choked out, "Stay."_

_Ginny buried her face into his neck afraid to say the words she had to next for fear of injuring him further. "I can't… Harry's letter…"_

_He tensed and sprung away from her. "Oh so it's Potter is it?"_

"_No, Draco!" Ginny tried in exasperation. She had known saying his name was not a good idea, why had she done it?_

"_I see how it is. Finally decided to crawl back to Saint Potter have we? The Gryffindor Golden Boy still superior to the Slimy Slytherin Prince?"_

"_Stop it no! Never! I love y…" she tried. _

_He cut her off brutally spinning with his back towards her. "Get out."_

"_What?" Ginny said shocked. She tried to advance towards him. "But Draco…"_

"_I SAID GET OUT!" he spun around screaming his livid eyes so full of pain but his body language threatening. _

_Ginny could do nothing but grab her bag an run from the room, tears streaming down her face._

* * *

"So what happened next?"

"What do you mean?"Ginny asked confused but without any real life in her voice.

"Did you leave?"

"Of course I left. The war effort needed me."

"Well I don't understand how this story explains why you hate each other."

"I don't hate him."

"Ok fine, severely dislike… it just seems like you two had a really bad fight."

"He was mad at me because I went straight back to my room, packed my trunk and flooed directly to Grimmauld Place, the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix."

"But why?"

"I didn't think I could handle seeing him again so I was brash and decided while I was that hurt that I should forgo a further goodbye. Unfortunately for me, when he discovered that I had just left rather than let us make up that made him extremely angry. So angry in fact that a few months later when the war was over I tried to owl him and go see him but I never got a response which in turn made me angry. When he finally did reply after nearly a month it was to arrange a meeting so that he would be able to reject me coldly in person, the only service he ever really gave to me. I lost him over something as stupid as poorly chosen wording… and we have remained angry at each other for three years."

"I don't believe that. You two were so in love the last time I saw you!" Hallie interjected for the first time. Narcissa reached out and softly grabbed her young friend's hand. They were all upset about this most recent turn of events.

"Oh we have become very good at playing our parts, so good in fact I think we had begun to fool each other and ourselves… I certainly believed that I was falling back in love with him. That's all over now though. I am done pretending. I don't care about the money anymore… I don't know if I ever even did."

"No." Hallie said as Luna nodded in complete agreement.

"What are you going to do now dear?" Narcissa asked quietly.

"I am going home to sort my life out… maybe spend some time at the Burrow just to clear my head and hide a bit. Please don't tell him that I'm gone or where I went. I know he'll figure it out soon enough."

Narcissa nodded slowly. "Alright… if that is what you want."

"It is… I'm so sorry that things worked out this way but I just want to thank you Cissa, for everything. I have loved being a part of your family and I'm sorry it has to end this way. Will you please explain to the rest of the family for me? I don't know if I can face them again…" she paused and contemplated. Should she tell Cissa about the baby? She deserved to know but Ginny didn't want Cissa to cause some kind of scene when all Ginny wanted was to escape or more importantly, gods forbid, to tell Draco. But the baby would be her grandchild and not telling Cissa could jeopardize the potential of a secret relationship between Cissa and the child. She decided that telling her was really the only thing to do and so she continued: "Especially since I'm taking the next Malfoy away."

"What?" Narcissa blurted out in a most uncharacteristic way.

"I'm pregnant Cissa." Ginny blushed and dropped her eyes from the older woman's powerful gaze.

"It's Draco's?" she asked tentatively.

"Of course." Ginny responded.

"But I didn't think you all were…" she motioned awkwardly with her hands while trying to maintain some sense of her Malfoy decorum.

Ginny's blush deepened. "No we have been, once at the Halloween Ball but we have really been together again since the New Year's party."

"Wow." Luna said. "Good job keeping that secret Gin. That is over a month without any of us knowing."

"Well that definitely explains some things… How far along are you?" Narcissa questioned.

"Hallie was the only one who guessed. Draco and I had decided to just keep it to ourselves originally just to see how things worked out, obviously a good plan in retrospect. As for how far along I am, I haven't been to see a specializing healer yet but just from my general training at the academy I figure I am about 5 weeks along."

Narcissa reached out and lovingly tucked a stray strand of long red hair behind Ginny's ear. "Oh my dear, you are in so much deeper than any of us even expected."

Her comment made the tears that Ginny had somehow quelled start to spring to life again. She dropped her face into her hands and let it all go. "I know."

All three of the other women immediately stood and wrapped their arms around the crying redhead to try to comfort her.

"It's all a lie." She sobbed. "I have been trying to talk myself out of it all night but I really do love him. I have always loved him but we just don't work. We just can't seem to keep ourselves together and on the same page. There is always some kind of stupid miscommunication or misstep that manages to rip apart. I would rather leave now while I am still able to think clearly then face what will happen at the end of the contract because it is all just an act. I can't take being fired from being in love."

Hallie dropped down to her knees and lifted Ginny's chin. "But he loves you too. We can all see it. It isn't just an act for him either."

"For a moment I believed that…" she began but she quickly stopped herself. "But I just can't anymore…"

"Ok." Narcissa said quietly. She kissed Ginny softly on the forehead and stood up. Despite what she knew in her heart about the young couple she also knew that there was nothing that could be said to change the young woman's mind. For now the best idea was to just let her go.


	27. Realizing

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 27: Realizing

* * *

Draco looked up as the door to the bar swung open. He sucked in a breath as he recognized the forms of his two friends hurrying across the room towards the booth where he was hiding.

He had been sitting in that same place for the last eight hours ordering drink after drink from the elderly barman Tom just wallowing in his miseries.

He put his head down in an effort to avoid being seen. His drunk logic decided that maybe if he couldn't see them then they would not be able to see him. No such luck.

"Draco, what are you doing? Where is Gin?" Blaise's voice cut through the dimly lit room and assaulted Draco's tired ears.

Draco sighed and looked up at his friend. He tried very hard to focus on him through the drunken haze he had been working so hard to acquire but without much success. He decided rather than try to talk he would just shrug.

"What did you do now?" Theo coaxed. He did not sound as abrasive as Blaise which had to mean that he was not as mad at him as Blaise already seemed to be.

Despite the possibility of having better luck talking to Theo all Draco could think to do was to gesture rudely at him. He just wanted them to leave him alone so that he could drink himself to death in peace. But no. Here again was yet another example of Blaise and Theo trying to meddle in his life "for his own good." Bullshit.

"Well this is going nowhere." Blaise said exasperatedly after a moment. He whipped out his wand and mildly stunned Draco

When Draco came to he immediately recognized his surroundings. They were in Blaise's apartment not too far from the Leaky Cauldron in Wizarding London. He could tell that he was still drunk but that it was vastly improved from the last time he had been conscious.

"Oh, look who's up." He heard Blaise say from across the room.

He turned his head slightly to look at his friend where he was sitting on the couch and struggled to fight the waves of nausea that were flowing over him. "What's going on?" he coked out.

"I don't know mate. We were kind of hoping you would tell us." Theo chimed in. "All we got was a 'Something happened with Draco and Ginny. Can you and Blaise go find him?' from Hallie about three hours ago."

"So what did you do now?" Blaise butted in harshly. He knew he should be making more of an effort to be gentle with his friend, especially in the state he was in, but he had seen this type of melodramatic act before and was not impressed with Draco's behavior.

"I didn't do anything."

Blaise snorted in disbelief. "Well that is bullshit. Why don't you try again?"

"Ginny and I got in a fight. That's all."

"Because?"

"I might have gotten upset about how she behaved with other males last evening at her gala." He said in a very flippant and posh tone.

"Gotten upset?" Theo questioned. He was very confused as to the way his to friends were behaving. Draco was being very aloof and noncommittal while Blaise was downright accusatory. This was a definite reversal of roles that he was unaccustomed to. It was becoming very apparent to him once again that in the years he had been gone he had missed some very important pieces of his friends' lives.

"Oh yes." Blaise said before Draco even had the opportunity to respond. "You see, I don't know if you would have noticed this back in the days before Draco was a notorious womanizing man about town, better known as a slut, but he was actually somewhat of a jealous prick with all the girls… oh I mean the girl he dated."

"You sound like a woman." Draco said in a bored voice. He was quite obviously trying to sound disinterested.

"And you are a drunk arsehole. Shut up. Anyways, he became very possessive of Ginny and they sometimes fought over the fact that another guy breathed near her or, god forbid, she happened to mention Harry. This particular characteristic of our dear friend is actually what drove Ginny to run away and not speak to him for three years."

"I broke up with her."

"Because she left you. I said shut up."

"Wait I've never heard any of this, what exactly happened to end them the first time?"

"Oh ho, so you've never heard his part of the story? Well relax mate, because gods know this arse won't tell you, but lucky for you I was there as well and would be more than happy to fill you in…"

* * *

_Draco sat at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall waiting. He was practically the first person to breakfast that morning. On the outside he appeared as he always did bored and disinterested with a carefully trained Malfoy mask perfect installed on his angular face. But on the inside he felt very different. Where no one could see, his emotions were rearing their ugly heads. Worry, dread, anger and most importantly remorse all coursed through him as his eyes remained trained to the large doors at the front of the hall waiting to catch the tell tale flash of red that was so much a part of the woman he loved. But as more and more people began to fill the long tables Draco became more and more concerned. _

"_What is going on with you, mate?" Blaise whispered breaking Draco's concentration. _

_Draco had not even realized that his best friend had joined him. "I don't know what you are talking about." he replied what he hoped was cavalierly. _

_Blaise raised an eyebrow at both the response and the tone. "Oh really? Because you have been fidgeting and tapping your fingers on the table for the last 10 minutes." _

"_Malfoys don't fidget."_

"_I know, that's why I'm asking."_

_He was about to tell Blaise he could go shove it when suddenly Draco caught sight of Luna as she was about to enter the Hall. She was the next best thing. _

_Draco sprang up from the table and crossed the room in mere seconds to intercept her. "I need to talk to you." He whispered in a strained voice as he grabbed her by the arm and led her away from the other Ravenclaws and back towards the exit. _

_Luna could not contain her shock. Draco looked perfectly calm but she could tell from the painful grip he had on her arm and the way that his voice even in a whisper had begun to crack that something was very, very wrong. She put up no fight but simple nodded and followed the enigmatic man out of the room. _

_When they were safely out of earshot of all the eyes that had followed their strange exit though, Luna had no choice but to start to question. This behavior was strange even coming from Draco. "What's going on Draco?"_

"_I need your help." He said through gritted teeth. _

"_Alright, alright, calm down. Just tell me what is going on and we will see how we can sort it."_

_Draco finally stopped and let go of her arm. He spun away from her and ran his fingers violently through his hair. "Ginny and I got into a… well an awful fight last night. She ran away and I haven't seen her since. I need you to go into the girls dorms in Gryffindor Tower and convince her to talk to me."_

"_Oh Draco, she'll come out eventually."_

"_No!" He practically screamed. "You don't understand! She's going to leave!"_

_Luna looked at him perplexed. 'What do you mean? Like she is going to join the Order?"_

"_Yes!"_

_Luna's face creased with worry. "Alright. I'll help you."_

* * *

_Blaise was beginning to get a little worried. He had watched the way his best friend had practically dragged his girlfriend out of the room and they still had yet to return. Normally he trusted Draco implicitly but there was something about the gleam in his eyes this morning that had put Blaise on edge. _

_He had looked like a scared, trapped animal looking for any kind of release. Blaise knew from experience going hunting with his father and grandfather when he was much younger that animals with that look in their eyes would do almost anything to escape. That is what worried Blaise about leaving Luna alone with Draco right now, he had no idea what was wrong or how that would make his volatile best friend react._

_Blaise made the decision to make yet another scene to add to the latest piece of gossip and dash out of the hall to follow his best friend and his love. _

_He emerged just in time to see the pair hurrying up the main staircase in the direction of the towers. _

"_Wait!" he called out as he ran across the wide open space of the atrium and up the stairs. "What in the bloody hell are you two doing?"_

"_We're breaking into Gryffindor Tower to check on Ginny because she and Draco got into a rather large fight last evening and now he is afraid that she has run away to join her family and the Order of the Phoenix… not even sure you know what that is but it is beside the point. We need to check on her." Luna said in her matter of fact way that often sent Blaise's head reeling for a few moments trying to catch up with her insanely blatant logic. _

_This time was no exception. He just took in what she said and nodded. "Alright, lead on."_

_Draco said nothing in response but immediately began to swiftly move back up the steps._

* * *

_Minutes later Luna, Blaise and Draco walked up calmly to the portrait of the Fat Lady who was the guardian to Gryffindor Tower. _

"_Good evening ma'am." Luna said demurely. "I don't know if you remember me but I'm Ginny Weasley's friend and this is Draco Malfoy, the head boy and my boyfriend Blaise. We haven't seen Ginny in some time and we were beginning to get worried about her. Would it be possible for us to get into the common room just to check on her?"_

"_Of course I remember you darling but I'm not sure how the professors would feel if I just let several other students into a common room that was not their own."_

"_We completely understand that ma'am and would be more than happy to respect that if we weren't so concerned about Ginny. Did you by any chance see her last night?"_

_The Fat Lady stared contemplatively for a moment before recognition dawned on her face. "Oh dear! Ms. Weasley was the young lady who woke me up so late last night wasn't she? Came barreling down the hallway with tears streaming down her poor little face. She was absolutely hysterical, could barely get out the password. On second thought I had better let you all in to check on her." She quickly swung forward and Luna called their thanks to her before scooting through the doorway. _

_As they entered both of the Slytherin men were struck by how bright the room was. Everything was decorated in the tell tale Gryffindor scarlet and gold which stood in sharp contrast to the more soothing deep green and silver of the Slytherin domain. _

_While Blaise continued to explore the long held 'enemy' territory, Draco quickly refocused himself, only able to think of Ginny. "Alright Looney, can you go up to her dormitory and check? She has to still be up there. Just see if you can coax her to come down and talk to me."_

"_I still don't know if this is a good idea Draco… but alright." She quickly tripped lightly up the stairs and out of site of the boys. _

_Draco began to pace again as he had been all night since she had run from his room. He had known then that his words had been far too harsh but he had said what he felt at the particular moment. For that he did not feel bad, but for hurting the woman he loved he felt awful and was now more than ready to grovel to fix what he had broken. _

_Moments later they heard the sound of footsteps coming back down the stairs. Draco's breath caught in his throat as he watched Luna emerge all alone from the girl's tower. _

"_She won't come?" he asked, crestfallen._

"_Draco…" Luna said in a strained and almost masked tone he had never heard from his friend. "She isn't there love."_

_Everything drained out of Draco: all his fears, anger and anxiety, and, worst of all, the small amount of hope which he did not even know he was so wholly relying on in that moment. Something inside of him snapped. _

_The next anyone knew Draco was thrashing around throwing anything he could get his hands on, trying to create as much destruction as he could. For the will to destroy was the only thing that was left in him if she wasn't there. Ginny was everything beautiful and good in his life and without her, without the opportunity to fix everything that had occurred between them, all he could do was lash out at the world around him. _

_He was blinded by rage. Not noticing the smash of glass objects he would throw or the crack of the wooden furniture he broke. He heard nothing of Luna's shrieks of fright and did not feel Blaise's futile attempts to restrain him._

_He was aware of almost nothing but his despair until two more sets of hands stepped into aide Blaise and forced him to the ground. Moments later he lost the last shreds of his consciousness as he was stunned. _

* * *

_Not long after that he woke up in unfamiliar settings. He looked around and discovered that he was in Professor McGonagall's office. _

"_Well look who is up. Good morning Mr. Malfoy."_

_Draco did nothing but give her a curt nod. _

"_How are you feeling? That was quite the little scene you made in the middle of my house's common room. It took the combined strength of Mr. Zabini, Mr. Finnegan and Mr. Thomas to finally control you. Do you care to tell me what came over you?"_

"_No ma'am. I would prefer not to." He mumbled through gritted teeth._

"_Please work with me Draco. This really is grounds for you to be relieved of your position as head boy. I really don't want to have to do that but I will have no choice if you don't at least explain what came over you. You are supposed to be an example for the rest of the school, not a destructive force that threatens them all."_

_Draco continued to say nothing, his Malfoy mask perfectly in place. _

_Professor McGonagall sighed and briefly messaged her temples. "I do not know what has gotten into this school. Between you today and the disappearance of Ginny Weasley I just don't know what I am going to do."_

_At the mention of her name Draco's face contorted in pain. It was only a flash but one that McGonagall's quick eyes did not fail to catch. _

_Understanding flowed over her. All the professors had noticed how close Draco and Ginny had become. None had suspected that they were anything more than friends, that was a miracle in itself, but maybe there had been something more behind closed doors that had never occurred to the professorial staff. _

"_Mr. Malfoy," she asked cautiously. "Were you and Ms. Weasley romantically involved?"_

_Draco said nothing but every muscle in his body visibly wound tighter. _

"_I see." She said sagely. Instinct told her that things had not ended well and that this boy had to be going through more than enough already without her adding to his misery. Her heart truly did go out to him so she made a decision. "Alright Mr. Malfoy, I'm docking 25 points from Slytherin and you are free to go. Just make sure that we don't have a repeat of this incident in any of the houses. _

_Draco left feeling nothing. He did not feel the gratitude he knew he should at McGonagall's lenience or the remorse for his behavior. The only thing he felt now was numb. Blaise would call him melodramatic he knew but there was nothing he could do. He felt empty. _

* * *

_And so the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months. Nothing much changed from that day. Draco went about the motions of doing his job and attending his classes but he felt nothing. Draco remained a dark hole void of all the emotions and deep seated sarcasm that had always so characterized his personality. _

_And then one day everything in life changed again. _

_Draco was sitting calmly at dinner. Blaise, as usual, was seated by his side animatedly caught up in some conversation with Crabbe and Goyle. Draco said nothing. He didn't really talk anymore, it was more that Draco had become Blaise and Luna's silent, sad shadow that none but the two dare to approach. _

_Draco had barely touched the food that was on his plate. He moved it around on his plate in a bored fashion, unconsciously forming his peas into the one word that would cause him the most pain when he regained his senses. _

_Suddenly, a jet black owl swooped down through the hall. All the eyes in the room turned to watch it. It was very strange for owls to be delivering mail at this hour. The owl headed straight for the Slytherin table and dropped a small letter right in front of Draco before turning right around and flying off, not even waiting for a treat. _

_The whole hall stared as Draco picked up the letter and looked at it. Immediately recognizing the small flowery script, he felt his breath catching in his chest. He quickly tucked it into his pocket until he could get somewhere solitary enough to read it. _

_Blaise gave him an inquisitive look when he finally met his eyes but Draco did nothing but shrug. _

_A few minutes later, once the general public's interest had waned, Draco stood up and slipped out of the Great Hall without very many people noticing him. He then made his way back down to his room in the Dungeons where he was finally able to read the note that he had been acutely aware of in his pocket. _

_He stared at his name written in her perfect script on the outside. Ever so slowly he was able to tear his eyes from the writing and flip it over to carefully break the seal that held it closed. He forced himself to read the few short words._

_Drae, _

_I'm sorry I left. I don't know what I was thinking. _

_I acted rashly and out of anger. Please owl me back,_

_I want to fix this. I miss you and I love you forever. _

_Yours always, _

_Ginny_

_When he had read it he was overcome by a great and terrible anger that seemed to coarse through him. He was unsure why but her words caused him to fill with a deep seated bitterness that replaced the empty hole in the pit of his soul rather than the great relief he had expected to feel. _

_He tore the note into a million little pieces than used his magic to burst them into flames. _

_He flung himself on to his bed and curled up into a little ball. So she wanted to fix things. Well what if he didn't think that things could be fixed? Maybe now it was just too late for them. She had left him and that in itself said more than enough about what she really wanted. _

* * *

"… And thus Draco's little heart was officially crushed and he was bitter and broken forevermore. The end."

"That is quite intense."

"You over exaggerate everything." Draco said in his most bored tone.

"I did no such thing. That is exactly what happened and exactly how you behaved. You are aware that you deserved for her to leave you correct?"

Draco did nothing but grit his teeth. He could not believe that Blaise would say something like that.

"Don't look at me in that tone, it is true. Ginny never did anything to you. That girl loved you more than anything in the entire world and you ran her off because in the end you were too scared to actually let someone love you."

"You're being ridiculous." Draco whispered.

"He's a bit right Blaise. Maybe you need to calm down." Theo chimed in. it scared him the way the energy in the room was rising in a very negative way.

"No. He needs to hear this. You are my best mate but for too long I have watched you go through an endless string of women searching for something you are never going to find because you found the love of your life years ago. You lost her once but you have been given a remarkable second chance to make things work with Ginny. Do not fuck this up because you are scared of commitment, or not being good enough, or whatever it is that has always held you back from just loving her the way she deserves. You can tell me I 'sound like a woman' all you want but I don't care because I know exactly what it is like to find that one person who so entirely completes you that she actually becomes your reason for living and we both know you have too. Do not let something like petty jealousy or your idiotic pride get in the way of showing her just how much you love her."

Draco could not meet his friend's eyes. It pained him to admit it but he knew that Blaise was right once again. "So what do I do now?"

"You go home and beg her for your forgiveness." Theo told him assuredly. "Beseech her until she takes you back."

"I'm not sure she will. I have messed up too many times."

"Gods know you have," Blaise agreed. "But you have to try anyway."

Draco stood up and nodded. He headed straight to the door without another word.

* * *

The door shut behind Draco and then moments later there was a very distinct pop from just outside in the hall way.

Theo and Blaise looked at each other. There really was nothing that the two friends had to say, they both knew from intuition that this was not over for their friends. They collapsed on opposing couches.

"Is the coast clear?" A new voice called out.

Blaise chuckled. "Yes, he's gone. You two can come out."

Luna and Hallie both emerged from down the hallway and flopped into place with their respective men.

"Well I doubt this day could be much worse for them." Hallie said exasperatedly.

Theo sighed and kissed her on the forehead. "I don't know, I think you are seriously underestimating them."

"Did you hear everything he said?" Blaise asked.

Luna nodded. "Yes we were back their listening the whole time. That was quite an inspiring little speech you gave there."

"I did my best."

"What do you think he will do?" Hallie asked.

"Knowing Draco? Probably the exact wrong thing, but I think we scared him enough that he will figure out how to make it all work."

"I really hope so." Luna said almost sadly. "They were so close to being happy there for a minute… there is also something that you boys don't know yet. Ginny is pregnant."

They both started, stunned.

"Come again?" Blaise choked out.

"You heard me correctly. Ginny is having Draco's baby and he doesn't even know yet and he will not know until he finds a way to fix all this because she left him and hasn't told him anything."

"You mean she isn't going to be at the Manor where we just sent him when he gets there?" Theo clarified.

"Nope and no one is to tell him where she is. He needs to put the effort into finding her if he really wants her back." Luna responded matter-of-factly.

"Wow." Theo said.

"Second that." Blaise agreed.

"Ok." Hallie interjected. "Enough about them. Time for the four of us to drink."

"Amen." Conceded Blaise again.

"So four glasses then?" She confirmed taking charge of the situation as she walked towards the kitchen.

"Three," Luna corrected. "I'm not drinking."

"Wow. Why?" Hallie questioned.

"Well that's usually frowned upon when you are pregnant."

Hallie spun around and stared with her mouth open. "What?You too?"

"Well technically me first but yes." Luna said looking at Blaise who's face wore a big stupid grin.

"That is not fair! Now I want one!" Hallie began to whine. "Theo…?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Theo immediately chimed in.

"But Ginny and Luna both get one!"

"If Ginny and Luna both jumped off a bridge would you do it?"

"…. How pretty is the bridge?"

Theo threw up his hands in exasperation. "You're impossible."

"But you love me."

"… Some days."

Hallie began to pout ever so slightly. "You won't let me have a baby and you are not a prince. I don't like you anymore."

"Yes you do…. And we'll see about maybe the next round. You know that they will both have more. And what do you mean I'm not a prince?"

"That is none of your damn business…" she said as stuck out her tongue at him.

* * *

Draco stood at the bathroom door contemplating whether or not to knock. They were right; he had been such an idiot, over reacting about absolutely nothing. His friends had helped him to cool his head helped him and realize that. She said she loved him and so he needed to… well get over his fear of commitment and believe her. He took a deep breath and rapped softly a few times on the smooth hard wood. There was not answer.

He knocked again, when no response came yet again he ventured to swing open the door anyway what he saw there threw him into a distress.

The room was a mess. There were random pieces of clothing everywhere; it appeared as if everything had been swept off of her dressing table and shelves with random items that had been missed. It was not the violent mess that he had created next door but instead a frightened hurry that blatantly spelled out flight.

"No." he whispered to himself. This could not be happening. Not again.

At this point he began to panic. He couldn't believe she was gone, no not again. It was not possible that this woman whom he needed in his life more than the air he breathed could have run away from him yet again.

He stumbled back to his own room and there on his bed lay something he had not noticed before, a ripped piece of parchment and right next to it a glittering silver moonstone necklace.

He crossed the room in two strides and delicately picked up Ginny's favorite piece of jewelry. The feeling of dread that had crept into his heart now constricting his chest and making it hard to breathe. He snatched the paper from where it lay. Quickly unfolding it he saw Ginny's tiny neat handwriting and two jagged water stains, tears.

_I tried… Goodbye. – G _

He crumpled up the scrap and sank to the floor in shock and despair. It was true then, she was gone and with her left all possibility that he would ever be happy again. She was the one, the only one he had ever or would ever love and it was all over.

* * *

Yes I am totally and completely awful. Please don't hate me. My life is insane and I just have not had the time to write.

I would love if people reviewed the chapter and let me know what you think!

Care


	28. The Grand Gesture

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Chapter 28: The Grand Gesture

* * *

Draco did not move, he was not even sure he breathed. He just remained, glued to the floor, on his knees, aware of all the physical pain that was shooting through his body but unable to acknowledge it. It paled in comparison to the pain that was ripping through his heart.

He was not sure how long he remained in that state. It must have been all night because when he became aware of the door opening and his mother saying his name repeatedly he also noticed the amount of light in the room had changed. It was much brighter.

"Draco!" Narcissa's smooth voice interrupted his thoughts. "What in the Merlin's name are you doing down there?"

He blinked up at her but said nothing as she crossed the room to kneel beside him.

"Come here love." She said as she slowly pushed him to the side, taking all the pressure off his now numb legs.

She wiped her hand across his cheek to brush something off. It was not until that moment that he realized tears had been intermittently sliding down his cheeks. He did not know how to process that bit of information either. He could not even remember the last time he cried. He was not sure he ever had before now.

"What are you thinking?" Narcissa began again, this time her voice tinted with new exasperation. "Why are you being so ridiculous?"

"Because I ruined all of it. She ran away again." He said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I know that. I was here when she left. I guess a better question is why are you sitting here rather than looking for her?"

"She obviously doesn't want me to find her." He held out his right hand to reveal the scrap of a note crumpled tightly in his hand.

Narcissa removed it and read the message out loud, sending new waves of white hot pain and guilt searing through Draco's heart. "What's in your other hand?"

He held it out to her and slowly opened it wide, palm facing up. Narcissa gingerly picked up the moonstone pendent from the center revealing an angry red indentation from when he had clutched it tightly for hours.

"Oh Draco…" she said quietly in a strained voice. "Alright, get up! I know you have always had a pension for the dramatic but this is more than enough. You need to get out of here and go find her! Right this moment. I refuse to allow you to just mope around and let her get away from you forever. You are the perfect couple."

"She doesn't want me anymore."

"Yes she does. You just lost your mind for what better be a temporary period of time. Get out there and make the grand gesture Draco. Show her, don't tell her, that she made the right choice loving you."

"It is no use mum. She left. I don't even know where she is."

"I know that you are intelligent enough to come up with a short list of where she could be, and if you can't figure it out then maybe you don't deserve her." With that Narcissa stood up and showed herself out.

It took only a minute or so after his mother's departure for Draco to realize that once again she was entirely right. He needed to fight harder to save his marriage and to keep the girl he loved. And if he wasn't willing to fight than he didn't deserve someone like Ginny.

He pushed himself off the floor and fought through the pain of the feeling striving to return to his legs as he headed out the door and down to the apperation room, a short list of locations to check already forming in his mind.

* * *

Draco apperated as close to the Burrow as he dared and quietly crept closer to the house along the edge of the woods. He had already checked her apartment and when there was no sign of anyone having lived there for weeks he assumed that the next most likely place she would go would be home to her family. Now that he had arrived though he had no idea what he was doing so close to what could easily be considered enemy territory unaccompanied.

He knew that he should turn around and go back to the manor and send her an owl imploring… no, begging her to come back to him so that they could talk it out. But that would not be enough, no she would never even acknowledge the letter, not that he would deserve that courtesy.

He considered the option that what he was about to do was more than a bit risky but in his heart he felt it was the right thing even if his head was screaming at him to stop being stupid. His mother's words just kept echoing in his mind over and over and over again. "Make the grand gesture Draco. Show her, don't tell her, that she made the right choice loving you."

He took a deep steadying breath and stepped away from the shelter of the trees. He decided right then that the best course of action was going to be the surprise attack of most direct route and so he walked straight across the front yard of the bizarre little house and marched up the three uneven steps to reach the front door.

It was at this point that his courage began to falter.

He honestly was crazy for doing this. He had no clue who would answer that door once he knocked but at this point it really didn't matter. He realized that because she was in there he had already resolved himself to use any means necessary to get to her. He would break down the door; subdue her brothers, anything that he had to get to her so he could beg her to listen to him if nothing else. But first he forced himself to smooth his face into a calm exterior and then lightly knocked on the door.

Much to his dismay the first person to come to the door was Ron.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Ron asked venomously through gritted teeth.

Draco did his best not to show the other man the same blatant dislike that he felt radiating of the other. He needed Ron to let him in the house. "I really need to speak to Ginny."

"Well she doesn't want to see you so I think you should just bugger off."

It took every ounce of his strength not to just punch his longtime enemy and force his way in. "I am going to see her. She is my wife. I have every right to at least talk to her."

Draco paused for a moment as he watched the other man's jaw set in determination.

"No."

The wheels in Draco's head began to turn. If Ron refused to let him in to see Ginny then he would just have to find another way to communicate with her. He spun on his heel and down the three steps back into the yard. He looked straight at Ron for just a moment before lifting his head up to gaze at the rest of the house. He briefly wondered which room his love was hiding in before carrying out the latest version of plan get-Ginny-back: screaming her name repeatedly at the top of his lungs in the hopes that she would come out.

For a moment Ron was stunned. What in the bloody hell was the crazy Slytherin man doing? Once he had recovered slightly he decided that for his sister's sake Malfoy needed to stop.

He headed out of the door and down the steps to tackle the blond man. Draco though moved out of the way just in time causing Ron to rush past him before stopping and making another pass. Ron began to chase Draco around the yard with the one staying just ahead of the other like a pale fox the hunting dog could never quite reach and all the while during their display Draco just continued to call for Ginny.

After nearly five minutes of the sheer nonsense both of them came to an immediate halt at the sound of two words from the Weasley matriarch who had made her way through the crowd of her other children gathered to watch the spectacle. "Stop it!" She thundered. "Get in this house right this second, the pair of you. What has come over you two? A pair of grown men acting like complete children!"

The whole group of people filed back into the house with Draco, Ron and Mrs. Weasley bringing up the rear to make sure that they couldn't cause any more commotion.

As soon as Draco entered the house though all thoughts of what had occurred vanished from his mind as his eyes locked with the most amazing set of chocolate brown ones he loved more than any other in the world. "Ginny." He breathed.

* * *

Ginny had been sitting waiting on the steps for quite some time just observing her husband and her brother acting like total fools. When her mother had passed by her perch she had been very cross with Ginny for not ending the spectacle herself but Ginny only shrugged in reply. She still hadn't decided whether she had wanted Ron to catch Draco or not when Mrs. Weasley put a stop to everything and forced everyone, including her estranged lover, back into the house.

"Hello Draco." she said quietly in response to his shock.

"Don't talk to him Ginny! You don't have to say anything! We can get rid of him in five seconds if you don't want him here." Ron quickly interjected

She stood up slowly and stared at both men. "But I want to talk to him."

"No. I don't think that is such a good idea Gin. You have been through enough already, why prolong your agony? You can get rid of him and we'll get you a divorce and then you can pretend that this whole thing never happened." He tried to assure her needlessly.

She almost laughed out loud at his last statement. The time for cleanly severing all ties to Draco had passed several weeks ago and was now gone forever. Her brother's reassurances did nothing but add salt to the already open wound. Plus now that Draco was here and clearly trying to ;make an effort she felt compelled to hear him out.

"I want to talk to him." she insisted.

"No Gin." Ron pressed again.

"Ron, at which point did you decide that you had any involvement in my love life?" Ginny said sarcastically as she stared down her brother now even more annoyed than the first time that he was still attempting to control her.

"Really? You're going to ask me that Gin?" he said sounding genuinely shocked. "Alright if you want to go there, who was the one who found you a sobbing mess on the steps of 12 Grimmauld Place two days before you were due to be there and had to physically carry you into the house? Who was the one who spent countless nights holding you as you cried yourself to sleep over something or some_one_ unknown without any explanation and then just have to act normal when you would just pretend nothing was the matter all the next day till you crawled in my bed the next night and the cycle repeated itself?

"Me, Ginny, me! You are the one who involved me and don't think that I didn't put two and two together. I knew it was _him,_" he practically shouted at his beloved little sister while gesturing emphatically at her lover. "You were crying over the whole time. I know everyone has always assumed that I am both blind and stupid but I believe me that I am not. I always saw you when you would sneak away to meet him in your fifth year and the looks you would give him across the Great Hall or even the bloody Quidditch Pitch, not to mention new jewelry would miraculously would materialize in your possession on a regular basis that only someone with his kind of money would be able to afford. I'm so sorry that I am not as dumb as you wanted me to be but I will be damned if I let him waltz back in here and sweep you away again. All he ever does is hurt you!"

Ron finally stopped talking but his eyes never left Ginny's.

The pain and determination that Ginny saw there made her pause to think, was Ron right? Her eyes tore away from her brother's and flicked to Draco. She was positive that she loved him but would that be enough? Was it better for them to live apart?

Before she could decide for herself though, she saw for the first time a change in Draco's unwavering expression.

"Ron's right." He whispered much to the surprise of everyone in the room. "All I ever do is hurt you." The audible pain in his voice was heart wrenching but resolute. "If I really love you I should let you go, let you forget about me and everything I have put you through."

He slowly forced himself to turn around and make his way back through the sea of spectators towards the front door, not looking at anyone, jaw set indomitably against the pain. His determination to find her and bring her back had been as strong as iron because it was what he wanted but only this new notion could ever had over ridden that resolve: that this would be best for her and he now found that that was truly all that mattered.

NO! Ginny's mind screamed at her as she felt her heart leap into her throat as she practically lurched off of the stairs, all traces of Ron's doubts gone completely from her mind. Suddenly it was all clear: she needed him. It was as simple as that. She was also sure that if he walked out that door it would be the last time that she ever saw him. That was entirely unacceptable. She knew now more than ever that no matter what they trials they faced, she needed him to live, to give her life meaning. Her plan from yesterday now seemed utterly pointless because she never would have been able to totally cut him out no matter how hard she might have tried. He really was the sun in her life.

"Oy Malfoy." She called out in a voice that was impressively steady for all the emotions that were coursing through her body. "What in the bloody hell do you think you are doing? You put all this effort into getting in here to talk to me and now you are just going to turn around and decide you don't want me anymore?"

Draco stopped but did not turn around. "Of course I want you but I need to do what's best for you."

She could not help from rolling her eyes at his overly dramatic display. What a Malfoy. She really hoped she could steer her own child away from this particular family trait. "I am so sick of people telling me what is best for me." She glanced pointedly at Ron with this statement before returning full attention to Draco. "Why don't you all let me try for a change?" She hopped off the step and crossed the room to where he stood. Forcing him to turn to face her, she looked into his eyes and said: "First of all, I need to say before anything else that are the biggest arsehole I have ever met in my entire life. You are jealous, self centered and self important and most of the time I absolutely hate you."

Draco nodded his knowingly, more than accepting of the negative characterization she bestowed on him.

"Putting all of that nonsense aside though," she continued. "You, Draco Malfoy, are probably the best thing that has ever happened to me and for some reason I am absolutely and completely irrevocably in love with you."

Draco's eyes widened a bit. She had yet to be so straight forward with her pronouncements in this portion of their relationship, this was shocking to him all things considered. "Why? You just said yourself that I'm awful and you're right, I am. You deserve someone so much better than I am."

"What happened to the man who promised me that he would fight for me and never let me go?"

"He finally realized what was best for you and that is all he wants."

Ginny could see she was really getting nowhere. His face was frozen in place revealing none of the emotions she was sure he was feeling: no sadness, no vulnerability. She was fed up. There really was no way of removing it other than some sort of shock to break his concentration… and so she slapped him across the face. The desired effect was instantaneous as she watched the Malfoy mask slide off his perfect face and pure rage to replace it.

"Stop this right now!" she practically screamed in frustration. "You don't get to say what's best for me any more than my idiot brother. I love you and I want you and god knows you want me too otherwise we both know that you would never have gone through this humiliation. Stop trying to push me away! Just say yes love, kiss me and take me home!"

She stopped and took a breath as they locked eyes with mirrored rage, both wordlessly fighting the other, daring them to give in. The moments ticked by and neither showed any sign of caving when finally Mrs. Weasley chimed in, "For the gods' sake boy, kiss her already!"

Draco's mouth twitched and his eyes flooded with mirth. 'Well,' he thought to himself, 'I guess this is it. My big moment of truth… 'a grand gesture.' He shook his head as his face broke into a smile as he remembered his mother's dramatic words from earlier. Slowly he reached out and grasped onto Ginny's hips, surprising her as he tugged her closer. He leaned down and ever so softly pressed his lips to her own.

She squeaked with what he could only assume was joy and wrapped her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss as his arms more securely found her waist. There they remained for several moments oblivious to the clapping and cat calls of almost all the others in the room before he lifted her up off the ground and spun them around, both laughing.

Finally, he placed her gently back on the ground. Draco leaned his forehead against hers. He had never been this happy in his entire life. "Can we go home now?" he whispered.

She smiled at him and whispered back, "Yes… but don't you dare think that this whole display gets you off the hook for last night."

"Yes, love. Of course not dear."

* * *

"Ok, so exactly how long do I have to grovel before we can start to move on from my transgressions last night?" Draco asked candidly as he trailed up the stairs behind Ginny.

"For a very, very long time." Ginny assured him.

"That is pretty much what I figured." He sighed as they came to a halt in front of the first door. "Can I still sleep with you tonight? Or am I banished to my own room?"

Ginny bit her lip. "Well… I know I should kick you out but I think I have had enough of being without you for a bit… We do need to talk though."

Draco grimaced. "Yeah, I know." He said as he followed her up to her room.

Ginny smiled to herself sarcastically and thought 'I seriously doubt that.'

When they entered the room Ginny immediately began to dig through Draco's pockets to find her suitcases. Once she found them she re-enlarged them and quickly changed into the pajamas that she knew had been shoved into the top of one of the bags. She would try to beat the houseelves to unpacking for her tomorrow, tonight she just needed to rest.

For his part, Draco had been sent to his own room to retrieve his own night clothes while she changed. It took him less than a minute to grab them and return to the doorway but in that time a new thought had occurred to him that he already desperately wanted to share. "You know what I think?" Draco began as he waited for permission to enter the room.

Ginny, who was just crawling into bed stretched and struggled to force out the words "Come in and what?" around a yawn.

"I think we should knock out the wall between our rooms and redo this whole section. I'm tired of having two separate rooms, one mine and one yours. I think we need one space that specifically for both of us at the same time."

"Are you asking me to move in with you Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco chuckled. "If that's the way you want to look at then yes, Mrs. Malfoy, that is exactly what I am doing."

"Don't you think that might be a little bit fast considering everything that has transpired in the last two days?" she said, staring at him intently with one eyebrow raised.

"Not at all actually. I'm looking at it as more of a strike while the iron is hot type scenario, I learned that from my grandfather."

Ginny couldn't help but giggle. She had to give it to him that Draco Malfoy was nothing if not unashamedly daring. "Alright, I'll bite. I am not opposed to the idea of redecorating but what if instead we…" she began before her self consciousness got the better of her, forcing her to pause and chew on her bottom lip in fear. She knew that she had to tell him sooner or later and it really did need to be the former for her own mental state what with all that had occurred over the last day or so but that did not make it any easier for her to just come out and tell him that she was pregnant.

"Go on." He urged as his fingers began to deftly work his way down the buttons on his shirt.

"What if we left the wall and turned it into a nursery?"

He looked up at her contemplatively. "I suppose that that could definitely work, and it really would be incredibly convenient in the long run. We can just let whichever room we pick to lay dormant or whatever till, you know, we need it. Honestly you can do whatever you want, I'm just happy that you are even still considering this to be long term enough that you are actually thinking about having children with me eventually!"

Ginny couldn't help but giggle. "Yes, I am still very much open to the idea of having children with you, in fact, to be honest… we might need the nursery quite a bit sooner than you would think."

His fingers automatically paused in their decent. He looked up with her, his big grey eyes round as saucers with the shock of what he was trying to process. "What are you saying?" he asked quietly in a voice completely devoid of any emotion.

His tone made Ginny more nervous than ever but she bravely stuck up her chin and met his eyes as she said clearly: "Draco… I'm pregnant."

* * *

Draco stood staring at Ginny, his hands hanging limply at his sides, his mouth completely ajar. Had he heard her correctly? Yes he must have. Those are not words that the mind makes up.

His whole body filled with a mixture of emotions: pure joy and pure terror. Before that moment Draco would have believed those emotions mutually exclusive but now he was not sure how the two had ever become divorced in the first place.

Ginny had scooted to the bottom of the bed and was now returning his stare nervously. "Drae… love… Draco, say something."

He voice seemed to slowly awaken him from his stunned pause. "We're having a baby?" he asked quietly, his voice cracking slightly on the final word a betrayal of his emotion.

Ginny's face lit up as she nodded her assent. "Yes, we are."

Draco face lit up. He crossed the room in a second and scooped her up off the bed. He twirled them around as he showered her face with kisses in between shouting 'we're having a baby!' at the top of his voice.

Ginny clutched onto his neck and laughed as she allowed herself to be repeatedly twirled. This was better than any reaction she had dared to hope for. Draco was truly delighted by her news and she had had nothing to worry about.

As he gently placed her back on the ground she looked up into his molten silver eyes and from what she saw there she knew… They were going to be a happy family.

* * *

Officially/Unofficially the end. Epilogue has been written for a year and will follow within the week based on numbers. Thanks for all the support!

Care


	29. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the amazing world of Harry Potter!

Epilogue

* * *

"No! Absolutely not! I forbid it!"

"You will not order me around woman!"

"Oh yes I will! And that is no way to speak to your mother in law Mr. Malfoy."

"Currently I don't care if you are the bloody queen of England! You are standing between me and my wife who is currently in labour with my child in case you hadn't noticed."

"Men do NOT go in the delivery room! That is not the way that this is done. You will stay out here where you _belong_!"

"I don't care how you did it in the stone ages, I am going to be with MY wife and see the birth of MY child! Now stand aside."

Molly Weasley stared up for another moment at her headstrong, arrogant, stubborn son-in-law. There were many moments during their interactions that she might never understand why exactly her beautiful daughter had chosen to stay with the little prick after all he had put her through, but there was no way that anyone who had ever spent five minutes around the young couple could deny that they were head over heels in love.

In this situation she had no doubt that it would come down to a battle of wills in which neither would give in, so she decided to do something completely unprecedented for the Weasley matriarch, she let him win. Stepping aside, she allowed Draco to fly into the delivery room where she, as the grandmother, rightfully should be. Normally, she would have fought tooth and nail until whichever of her children or their spouses, whom she considered her children, gave into her demands, but in this moment she felt she was doing the right thing.

She may not really like Malfoy a considerable portion of the time, but she understood the powerful fierce love that surged between him and her daughter. Molly herself had even fought for the pair to work through their differences once upon a time. It was because Molly was sure theirs was a love so deep that it would withstand all tests that time and the world would throw at them. Look at what it had already withstood: war, animosity, hatred, misunderstanding. Yes, no matter what anyone thought Molly knew that Ginny had found the one. They had fought for each other and seemed determine to win.

Perhaps that was the real reason she let him have his moment, because of the fighting spirit that dwelled within him that he focused so completely on Ginny. She had only ever seen one other couple that had seemed to have that type of unshakeable commitment to each other from the very beginning, no real selfishness, just love, and she and Arthur had been together now for thirty three years.

Yes, Ginny had made the correct choice.

Molly slowly meandered out into the waiting room in the maternity ward of St. Mungo's, much to the shock of her entire family.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked his face full of concern for his beloved baby sister.

"Nothing that I know of Ron."

"Well then why are you out here mum?" Bill asked, voicing the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Draco has it under control."

Every single mouth in what was the majority of the Weasley clan dropped at that moment. Had they heard right? Molly Weasley had given up control?

Molly just sat down next to Arthur and placed her hand in his. She looked at him as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Our baby is having a baby."

He pulled her to him and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I know love and she's going to be a brilliant mum, just like you."

* * *

Ginny woke up from a very relaxing nap. Twelve hours of hard labour had made her very tired and even the three pepper up potions she had received afterwards had done very little to help.

She looked over at the small clock on the nightstand careful not to move too much because of how sore she was. It was nearly three o'clock in the morning, an hour and a half since the last time she had been awoken to feed her beautiful new baby. She sighed with contentment. Just thinking about her perfect little girl made her incandescently happy.

She turned her head the other way to see if Draco was still in the horribly uncomfortable looking hospital chair he had been perched in earlier. There he was, eyes closed, breathing deeply and carefully cradling Cordelia Jane Malfoy like she was the most breakable thing he had ever held.

Ginny couldn't stop the tears that seemed to force their way out of her eyes. She had never seen anything more pure and beautiful and just altogether perfect than the love of her life and their baby.

Pulling herself together slightly she softly called out, "Drae."

His head jerked somewhat as he came out of sleep but his arms cradling the baby never moved. Blinking to try to clear his head of sleep he finally focused on Ginny. His face broke out into his rarely shown true smile. For Ginny it always seemed to light up the room.

"Good morning sunshine." She giggled.

He grunted and said in scratchy voice still full of sleep, "I think you're confused love, it's not morning yet. Why are you awake?"

"I couldn't stand another moment without looking at you two so I woke up."

He chuckled and shook his head slightly.

"Have you slept at all love?"

"Not really. Little bits here and there, just dozing, mostly I've just been sitting here in awe of her."

Ginny smiled at her husband, he looked nervous although he was hiding it well like a true Malfoy. "Come lay with me."

Draco shook his head, "No Gin, really I'm fine. You back to sleep; the evil healers will be in here to wake everyone up again soon enough."

"No! I want you both to come here with me. I can't sleep well without you anyway."

Draco grimaced but gave up nonetheless. Slowly he stood up and walked over to the bed, careful not to jostle the Cordelia.

Ginny slid her aching body over in the bed in order to make room for Draco. Once they were all situated Ginny laid her head on Draco's strong shoulder.

"By the way, when did everyone leave?"

"Well they all started to trickle out about the time you fell asleep right in the middle of everyone. The ones with children of their own headed out first to relieve babysitters. Blaise and Luna weren't far behind them because Baby Finneus. They probably should have left hours earlier but Luna kept going on about how if Finn was at Cordelia's birth they would be 3 times more likely to fall in love with each other because of something to do with the cycles of the moon… I don't know Looney was being Looney.

"Don't call him Finn. You know she hates that."

"Yes, yes I know, but when his own father calls him Finn constantly when his wife is not around it is a hard habit not to pick up!"

"Do you think Cordelia will have a nickname?"

Draco looked at her contemplatively, "I don't know. It is a hard name to shorten in a good way. I suppose we will just have to wait and see what she thinks."

"Were the rest of the family well behaved?"

"If you are asking if I played nice with all your brothers, the answer is yes. There was no fighting. I actually shared her with everyone. Our mothers cried together and hugged. I think they bonded and it was slightly disconcerting. They are going out for tea next week."

Ginny giggled. "It was only a matter of time really. My mum likes to bond with people, your mother is officially part of her family now."

Draco grimaced. "I think they like each other better than they like me."

"I would not be surprised." Ginny said as she kissed him on the shoulder. "But I like you best so hopefully that will make up for it."

"It does."

"Good. So I was wondering…"

"Yes?" he asked as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"How exactly you managed to force my mother to let you into the delivery room?"

Draco chuckled softly, his broad chest shaking and causing Cordelia to cuddle closer to his warmth. "I don't know actually. She just gave up. We had been at it for at least 10 minutes then suddenly she just… gave up and let me win."

"That is so bizarre."

"Yeah that did seem to be the general consensus when they all came in here didn't it. Ron actually shook my hand. He said it was for accomplishing the impossible."

"That's what that was? I thought it was an after effect of the drugs, I never assumed that could have actually happened!" Ginny whispered in awe.

They both laughed. This time Draco's deep rumbling laugher caused Cordelia to toss in her sleep. They both quieted down immediately. Ginny snuggled in closer to her husband's warm form and they both gazed down at their baby and she quietly asked, "Did you ever think anything could be so perfect?"

"Only you." He whispered never taking his eyes off their little girl.

Ginny's heart swelled at his response. Despite the last few months of his reassurance that he loved her every time still felt new and exciting to Ginny's long dormant emotions.

They both sat in silence for a few minutes before Draco once again spoke. "I'm scared Gin."

Ginny lifted up her head to look at him. "Whatever for?"

"Her. She scares me. She's so tiny and fragile, what if something happens to her? What if I can't protect her from the world?"

Ginny reached out and pulled his head down to hers, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "Oh Draco, you can't protect her from the world. All you can do is love her and try to guide her down whatever path she will choose. Just love us both, that's all we'll need."

"I don't know if I can do that." He whispered. He looked at her and Ginny would have sworn there were tears glistening behind those big grey eyes. "I always mess thing up."

"Of course you can. We have loved each other all along and adding Cordelia to that has already proved not to be a problem."

"What if I screw up again? What if I drive one of you away?"

Ginny sat up and took his face in between her tiny hands. "That will never happen! Ever! I know you love us and I will always make sure we are together and are a family, you, me and Cordelia."

"And whatever other children we have." He said grinning.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "You do realize how long I was just in labor? I still haven't decided if I am ever going to sleep with you again let alone have another child that I have to lug around for 9 months and then pop out. Don't push your luck right now sir."

Draco just shook his head slightly. She really was amazing. "I love you Ginny."

"I know that," she said as her false annoyance sobered into a content smile once more. "And I never really gave up on our love. Do you remember when I told you once that my family was my life but that without you there was no sun or joy or love?"

He nodded.

"I mean that as much now as I did then." She leaned her forehead gently against his and closed her eyes. Softly their lips met.

"Ginny?" Draco asked when the kissed had ended. He rubbed his nose against hers.

"Mhm?" she answered without even opening her eyes, just enjoying the feeling of being pressed against him.

"Will you marry me?"

She leaned back and looked at him like he was insane. "I already did silly."

"I know you technically did but I want to marry you again, this time for me, for us. Not because we are being forced to because of a business deal but because we want to."

Ginny saw the shining honesty in his silver eyes and her heart melted for the thousandth time that day. "In that case, of course. Yes I will marry you. I would do anything for you. I love you."

* * *

It's done! I don't know about you but I am happy and sad all rolled up into one. Please let me know what you think

ALSO! I am going to try to write a sequel to this story. The link to the first chapter can be found on my author page!

Thank you to everyone who has read it and stuck with me!

Care


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